quick clicks

dads today articles

dads today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Public Scrutiny

Disciplining Your Toddler Outside of the Home

By Lyn Mettler

So how do you deal with strangers interfering when your child is acting up? For 45-year-old Mary Schnack of Sedona, Ariz., it was something she had to deal with regularly. Her daughter, now 19, is learning disabled and suffers from ADHD. She also has problems with impulse control and understanding cause and effect.

While Schnack says she never physically disciplined her child, she did have to be firm in public such as not letting go of her hand to keep her from wandering off. "I did get reactions from people that I was abusing my child," she says. "A store clerk asked me to either stop hurting my child or leave the store."

"At some level, parents have to be aware that concern by others might in fact be an issue," says Billingham. He suggests smiling at people and making a joke about the behavior by making comments like, "Only another 15 years of this!"

And keep in mind what matters most: your relationship with your child. "How the other people view you is so less important than how you interact with your child," says Polland.

"Most of us at some point in life have been either the toddler or the frustrated mom," says Douglas. "We just have to hope that we don't end up turning into the annoyed little old lady down the road, forgetting just how challenging it can be to be that young mother."

So for now, if you're stuck in the role of frustrated parent, hang in there. With a little planning and a few deep breaths, both you and your child may come out of the situation a little wiser.