When the Tears Come in Aisle 9: Handling Littles Meltdowns in Public Without Losing Your Cool

Hello lovely busy moms, I’m Timeasha Bailey, your new busy mom bestie! Welcome to the busy mom community. We are so glad to have you! Meltdowns in the grocery store!

A little about me, I am a mother of an eight-year old and three-year old. My main business is photography based in Murphy, NC. This year I branched out to crafts and digital art + prints!

It’s amazing how a normal shopping trip can go from getting a few things to a full blown meltdown! One minute we are looking at cool snacks and the next your kid is screaming like Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story. I was living this exact moment the other day. I HAD to go to Walmart after my daughter’s practice and my son was already tired. He started out screaming in the parking lot but calmed down as we shopped. Once we got to the checkout line it was another wave of big emotions!

Sarah Paulson AHS

If this would have been 4 or 5 years ago, I would have felt embarrassed, overwhelmed, and like everyone in the store was looking at me and judging me. 

What changed?

I realized that kids aren’t just trying to make the shopping trip difficult! They are overwhelmed, overstimulated, and don’t know how to cope with how exhausting being in public is. In my opinion, society puts this pressure on mothers to raise/create the perfect children that will later become perfect adults. It is unfair and unreasonable. Single mothers face the most scrutiny and judgement. 

This makes it hard to believe that our kids are doing what normal kids do and they are LEARNING to regulate their emotions. Crying is a part of growth and they have only been on this earth for a short time. They know nothing about what is acceptable and what is not. 

So what can you do?

Remember to take a deep breath before reacting and give your kid and yourself grace. If you can, give them a snack or comfort item. Depending on how you feel about screen time it’s a great way to calm your little! Another thing my husband and I will do is remove them from the overstimulating environment. Trying to lecture or getting worked up only intensifies the meltdown. It’s like saying “calm down” to someone that’s already seeing red.

I remind myself that people are a lot more understanding than I might know. This big moment is just that, a moment! It isn’t a reflection of your parenting, and you’re not a bad mom. You’re a tired mom with tired kiddos in a world filled with a bunch of tired people. If you do get that one ass hat, ignore them, they are most likely going through their own big emotions and trying to project them onto someone else.

Your littles won’t remember the meltdowns but they will remember how you loved them through it. They will know you were exhausted and still always showed up! You’re not alone, we have all been there and you’re doing amazing!!

Share your funny grocery stories or meltdowns in the comments.

Check back next week for more motherhood encouragement!

✨ Disclaimer ✨

I’m not a professional — just a mom sharing what has helped me in my own life. Please remember, every journey is different, so check in with a trusted healthcare or other professional before making decisions. This space is here to encourage, not to replace expert advice. 💛