Today, I had my first PDT (Public Display Tantrum). One tired toddler (slept 9 hours last night) hit the floor in central library and put on an all kicking, head-banging, arm thrashing display. She wanted to load up all the books on the counter for the lady to scan (but there were lots of books and someone waiting behind us). After Charlotte started to procrastinate on passing the books up I intervened (BIG MISTAKE).
Well meaning librarians tried to come to the rescue (I had one hungry baby in my arms, so couldn’t do much!), but I knew no amount of help was going to help. It was one major tantrum that was going to have to run it’s course. The security guard was laughing, but I knew if I didn’t get the tantrum under control I’d be at risk of being barred from the library for breaking the peace! It wasn’t one of those moments to reach for the camera, for posterity’s sake (though in hind-sight it would have been quite funny!).
In the end I had to tuck Charlotte under my arm, carry Sophie over the other shoulder, and manouevre the buggy to the lift and down to the carpark. Once in the car Charlotte started to calm down. I managed to get them both in the carseat (after having fed Sophie and Charlotte wetting herself in the car).
Charlotte kept asking, over and over and over again, for ‘Brum’ CD (did she really deserve her choice of music?!). After requesting, with a tear-stained face, for 10 minutes, I relented, on condition she stop crying. Thankfully, the crying stopped and she listened to me and did say sorry (though I doubt she really understood what she was apologising for, if indeed she understands the true meaning of the word ‘sorry’).
Finally, two children asleep, I pulled in for a take-away latte and sat, with a black-cloud consuming my entire being, wondering why I took this job on!
I just had to remember the good times, like yesterday morning, when we walked in the rain at Princess Bay, looking in the rock pools and pretending there was hidden treasure and Pirate Ships on the horizon. We saw the most stunning rainbow and it felt like we were walking in a dream.
Here’s hoping it’s a long time before I experience another PDT!
