First public tantrum

Henry threw his first public tantrum today. On our way home from Toowoomba we decided to stop at a major discount department store to grab a few things to save me having to go out again after we got home. I decided to check out the matchbox cars collection as we've been hoping to find a garbage truck which we believe forms part of the Hero City Collection. So far we've had no luck. We had no luck today either but since we were in the vicinity of all things trucking Henry thought he should have something anyway. I was going to buy an inexpensive matchbox car but the one I gave him to check out promptly got thrown on the floor from his seat in the pram and his arm pointed upwards and his fingers opened and closed as they do when he sees something out of his reach that he wants. I looked up to see what it was and it was a very expensive car transport truck that was also too large. I picked up the car that he had thrown on the floor and absentmindedly handed it back to him to get ready to leave. He threw it down again and pointed again to the large car transporter. I said "no not today" and started to push the pram away from the trucks when he let out this almightly screech and strained against his straps trying to free himself. I kept walking and chose to ignore him but the further away we got the louder he screeched. Of course everyone in the shop had to look my way as they do whenever a kid in a shopping centre screeches. Those that do this have either never had unprotected sex resulting in the birth of a child who makes it to toddler hood or have perfect new borns and their eyes still see everything in a rose coloured light. These people have usually read all the child psychology books too on how to avoid a public tantrum and think they'll raise a perfect child who will never protest about anything, ever. Their kids will be just like those on a Myareyouashoplifter manchester ad. All fluffy, light, clean and beautiful. Anyway, the screeching continued and I kept a stiff smile on my face as I stared back at those that dared to stare at me. He screeched as we paid for our items at the checkout and screeched right through the centre until we reached the car park. That was when I gave him a stern lecture about how his behaviour was inappropriate and that I expected better from him and I was so disappointed, blah, blah, blah..... I've read the child psychology books too. Their advice never works believe me. The only thing that does is to completely ignore it and carry on business as usual.

This all came after a week of irrational behaviour from our precious son. Since he had the stomach bug his behaviour has changed dramatically. He went from being a fun loving, happy-go-lucky, balanced little boy with an enormous appetite to a clingy, whiner who won't eat anything that isn't dripping with enough sugar to cause a cavity just by looking at it. His body functions have not returned to normal. I won't go into detail about that but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Anyway to cut a long story short I've decided to try him on soy or rice milk in case he has developed his father's intolerance for dairy and have started giving him a multi-vitamin to try to make up for the lost vitamins through lack of food. We'll see if any of that changes his behaviour and helps him return to normal.

If the tantrums continue I'm going to lock myself in a cupboard and not come out until he is old enough to leave home.