Melt D.O.W.N.

This post is for anyone who has ever had a temper tantrum. Stop. Reverse that. Anyone who has ever had a TODDLER who had a temper tantrum. In public.

I hopped out of the car, two kids in tow, and lingered into Target. Where else can a mom buy clothes, eggs, and magic erasers all in one stop?! Anyway, it started out bad. I told Eva that she needed to SIT in the cart (unlike what she did with Daddy the week before) so I could shop for lots of food and even crayons if she made good choices. The whining started. "No, Eva walk". And here it goes...downhill.

I knew I had to stick to my guns on this one. There is no way that little E's days in a cart are over. I have way too much shopping to do and there are way too many things for little hands to pull off the shelf. Not. Happening.

I continued to tell Eva that she needed to sit in the cart when she shops with Mama. I told her we had a lot of things to buy, even crayons (this should make her obey, right?!?!), and she needed to sit down so she could be a helper IN the cart. She. Didn't. Budge. After yelling, "no", and threatening backbends on the carpet near the return section, I quickly took Aslan over to the register and made my returns. At least that was out of the way.

Back to Eva, I pick her up and put her in the cart. Her knees won't bend. She's standing on the seat. I firmly go over my requirements one more time (before the threats start) and let her know that this is not up for compromise. Nothing.

So, I start pushing the cart, toddler standing on the seat, until she had to sit down for the mere force of the moving cart. Screams. Tears. Thrashing. ALL OUT TANTRUM. I wait until she needs to take a breath and remind her that there is no crayon small enough for her to earn at this point. I count to 3 and demand quiet. I keep pushing the cart for my Mr. Clean erasers (because she drew on the walls) while the whole store stares at my screaming child. "LOOK PEOPLE, I KNOW YOU CAN'T TELL, BUT I'M ACTUALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING RIGHT NOW, SO STOP STARING!"

After 5 minutes (eternity) of trying to think of remedies, distractions, tactics...I conclude that I need to get the heck out of the store and remind E that she will be on the longest timeout she could ever imagine when she gets out to the car. STILL. FREAKING. OUT. Throw the erasers on a random endcap and head for the car. All while reminding Aslan that he is making such awesome choices and he is doing a great job by loving the cart. Hey, it was worth a try!

Tantrum didn't stop in the car. Crying screams that entire way home. Shouts for Daddy which only concluded in my saying, "Daddy can't wait to talk with you. He is going to be SO SO SAD that you are making bad choices. Daddy will say you need to sit in the cart!" She needed to know we are a team, right?! Daddy isn't going to get her out of this one.

We get home, she goes on timeout upstairs and I have a second to debrief. Sheesh! How does this happen? From the moment my kids have emerged into this world, I have tried to teach what it means to obey. I have tried to listen. I have tried to discipline (I, meaning, we. Brandon has had his fair share). I never taught her to meltdown. I never taught her to disobey. I never taught her to freak out in Target when there are groceries to be bought and presents to be bought!

Can you tell that I'm writing this very close to the actual event?! Maybe I should have given myself more time to compose myself, but here it is. Raw me. This was my kid's meltdown and this is how I handled it. When I went upstairs to talk with Eva, she was calm and composed. When I told her that she was going to sit in the cart from now on and obey Mama, she agreed. She hugged me. She got it.

Until...we went downstairs and Daddy asked her if she was going to sit in the cart next time...and she said no.

Ay yigh yigh.