My son is in the phase, dear Bob I hope it is a phase, that if he does not get what he wants, or do something he wants, he flips out. Screaming, spamming "please" over and over, to the point I'd love to throttle him. For themost part, it's rarely in public, but on the couple times it has happened in public, I've never hesitated to whisper to him quietly if he doesn't knock it off we're leaving wherever it is we are. Most of the time he stops. And the times he didn't? We left. I've hauled my kid up under my arms and walked out of places with no problems. My son is also three, mind you.
There have to be certain places that loud kids are accepted, if only for the sanity of the parents. That's why we have Friendlys and Chuck E Cheese, or McDonalds. While the kids have fun there, keep in mind when you're out, it's more to get out of the house and into a different atmosphere. Do parents like going to Chuck E Cheese? No. But it's better sometimes to let the kids run wild somewhere that is not your living room once in awhile.
Parents who want to get out and relax in a real adult atmosphere, find a babysitter. Respect others who may be out as well to escape the sounds of screaming.
However......
For those of you out there who do not have kids and have not been through raising little hellions, a piece of motherly advice. UNLESS you witness a child who could possibly be a case for DSS, don't put your foot where your mouth is and offer snide comments/advice/piercinglooks at the mother/father. Every kid, no matter how good they are most of the time, WILL act out in public at least once. And the parent is most definitely wishing to sink into the floor at the moment. The best you can offer them is to kindly look away and ignore it, or freeze that in your mind and realize one day that might be you. No matter how good of a parent you are, you can not control your childs oncoming tantrums all the time. You do your best, you suck it up, and if you're a good parent, you stick to your guns about consequences of bad behavior and get your screaming devil the hell out of there
Edited, Mon Nov 21 17:35:43 2005 by DSD