Throwing a fit

Yesterday was the first time Tristan had thrown a fit so huge in public I didn't know what to do.  We had some errands to run in GR so I thought if we left a little early we could hit up the Children's museum for a little while.  Everything is was going SO well.  He was playing well with other kids and just listening really well.  Then, this other kid just walked up and Duder hit him.  It was really surprising because he doesn't usually hit other kids.  So I made him apologize and then we had a little talk about how it's not appropriate to hit other kids.  He sat with me for a little bit (as part of his time out) and then he got to go back to playing.  Again, things were going really well and then that same kid came near him and he tried to hit him again!  This time I saw that it was winding up so I caught his hand and asked him if he was going to hit that kid and he very truthfully told me, 'yes.'  During our little talk before I told him that if he did anything like that again then we were going home.  Well, because he did try to do it again we were gonna go home. He pitched the biggest fit... he threw himself on the floor and started kicking and screaming.  Normally, we can stand him up and talk with him so that he calms down... this time he went boneless and wouldn't get up for anything.  I also had Lucy on my back so I was trying to get my out of control child off the floor while the other one was getting upset on my back.  The hardest part was trying to get his coat on him because it was cold out.... and after a few minutes of that going poorly I just stuck him in the stroller.  He was so miserable that he slid as far down as he could so that when I tried to push the stroller his feet dragged and stopped it from going forward.  Meanwhile, Lu girl is fully upset and screaming and crying too... fabulous.  He continued to throw a fit and cry and scream until we got to the car... where anytime he saw somebody coming he would say HELP.  WHAT?!

I really didn't know what to do.  all I knew was that I had to get him out of there as fast as possible.  I was pretty embarressed and I still haven't the foggiest of what the best plan of action was.  I just couldn't believe that he did that.  He did get a chat with the Papa when we all got home and he's been really good ever since.

we did try going to the library since then, and it looked like he was gearing up to tell other kids that they couldn't play with stuff, but then he didn't.  So I think that his talk with Papa went well... we will see.

I love my children dearly... but that was quite the experience.  It was just so out of control and ridiculous that I was more mad about it after the fact then in the middle of it.  I'm glad that God granted me patience and grace during that time.  Here's to hoping it doesn't happen again.

JVG