Rebecca Meyer
Whether or not to discipline children while out and about in public is a hotly debated issue. Many question whether disciplining children when they have tantrums even works and so some parents choose to ignore their children’s antics in an attempt to avoid the child feeling enabled or like their tantrum is giving them the desired outcome.
Parents, unfortunately, also have to grapple with the often completely unwarranted and unwelcome judgment and opinions from people witnessing their parenting choices in public. Sometimes, it seems like people judge parents whether they address their children’s tantrums or ignore them.
Sadly, parents may be judged no matter how they choose to react when their children act out. It can be tough for parents to tune out other people’s opinions, listen to their own instincts, and do what they feel is best in the moment. These judgments can lead to self-doubt and questioning how they should parent their children moving forward.
This man was recently grocery shopping with his child.
“My child has been going through a phase of misbehaving lately. In the midst of our shopping, my child started throwing a tantrum and being quite disrespectful. Feeling frustrated and concerned about their behavior, I decided to give a firm reprimand right then and there,” he said.
As he was disciplining his child, shoppers in the vicinity seemed divided on whether they thought his reaction was warranted or not.
“Some people nearby gave me disapproving looks and tsked in disapproval, suggesting that I was embarrassing my child,” he explained.
Other people appeared to be on his side, supporting his decision to address his child’s tantrum at the moment, even though it was out in public.
“I didn’t resort to physical punishment, but I did use a stern tone, and some say I raised my voice a little,” he continued.
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