A: The parent that does nothing about it.
Why do some parents think it is okay to ignore their child
having a little, sometimes really big, tantrum? Somewhere between the older and
perhaps less acceptable approach of saying "I'll give you to something to
cry about" to the other extreme of ignoring the problem, there needs to be
a measured reaction to the situation, not only for the benefit of the child and
parent but for those around that may be unfairly subjected to those eardrum
shattering screams. Although you may simply walk away when you are in a store,
escaping the screams can be more difficult while you are trying to enjoy a meal
in a restaurant. Unfortunately, there are those that do not recognize that parenting
involves not only caring for a child but also teaching them the boundaries of acceptable
behaviour.
Two recent incidents come to mind. One at a local Costco where
I had to go from one side to the other side of the store to escape the
ear-piercing screams. If you have been to a Costco, you know how big those
stores are. Parent-child outcome? Lose-lose. The other was in a local mall. The
child, in a stroller, started the screams and after only a few seconds the
parent stopped, talked to the child, successfully resolving the issue and stopping
the screams from going further. In retrospect, I should have thanked the parent
for dealing with the matter as it was a win-win outcome for everyone around,
especially the child.
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