As I push my nearly full shopping cart through the grocery store, the high-pitched wail of my 2-year-old pierces the air. “We’re almost finished,” I echo for what feels like the seventh time, but she’s not having it. I quickly snatch my last few items and make my way to the checkout, acutely aware of the sidelong glances from other shoppers as my toddler’s cries reach a crescendo. My jaw clenches, and a frustrated “Shhhh! That’s enough,” slips from my lips.
This tactic, of course, does nothing to help. As I place my items on the conveyor belt, I tear open a box of cookies and offer one to my daughter. A woman behind me comments to her friend, loud enough for me to overhear, “If my kid threw a tantrum, I’d just pick her up and leave. You have to teach them that they can’t act out to get their way.” I’m too drained and annoyed to explain that leaving the store is precisely what my daughter desires.
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