For some it's just the candy shelf at the cash register, for others (preferably toddlers) it's the perfect place to stage defiant dramas. We present a typical situation – and give tips from practice so that such dramas do not even appear on the program.
The situation
"41.96", says the cashier for the third time, a roaring toddler is rolling on the floor, the queue behind the shopping cart is getting longer, and more and more customers are following with interest how the father is reacting now. Does he buy the gummy bears, does he yell at his child? Pure stress. And a situation that sooner or later everyone experiences with children. And one in which you can somehow understand each of the characters involved.
The child
"Man, it's boring here. Don't touch anything, don't climb, just walk next to the stupid car. And Dad only has eyes for his long shopping list and doesn't say anything. Hey, Dad, I want to go shopping too. Gummy bears!"
The father
"Okay, I should have dealt a little more with Max. But should I allow myself to be blackmailed for that? Max, please stop screaming! And why are you staring so stupidly back there? Should I give my son a rub? Do a favor I'm sure not to you. Oh nooo … now he's ripping open the packaging too. Please don't! "
The cashier
"This is the third time today. If only I would have had the evening shift. And we are guaranteed to have discussions about the torn open goods. And the boss will join us."
The lawyer
"The father doesn't have to pay for the candy that is torn open," says lawyer Dr. Jeanette Nolte from Cologne. "If he had let Max wander through the confectionery department alone and thus violated his duty of supervision, that would be different. But in the case of classic 'whimsy goods' that are placed at the cash register at eye level and within reach of children, the supermarket owner is also partly to blame.
The psychologist
"The gummy bears stay in the store, even if Max has already torn the bag open," says Dr. Ute Koglin from the University of Bremen. “And Max's father tries best with tunnel vision: ignore comments from bystanders. React as clearly as possible to the tantrum: 'No, Max, there are no gummy bears now!' Apologize to those standing by, pick Max up and carry him outside. This is how you get him out of the confused situation. That is a five to ten minute delay that is well invested in educational terms. "
Let go of stress!
There is no miracle cure for tantrums in the supermarket. And also no guarantee that sometimes you will not become soft for the sake of peace. After all, parents are only human. But that can make shopping easier.