Shopping with your children can a challenging experience. Sometimes it becomes a nightmare for parents to stop their kids from picking up toys. Fearing their kid’s tantrums, most parents succumb to pressure and end up getting those toys.

Toys as such are not all that great for your kids. They can never be a substitute for the open air play that develops the child’s social skills. There are also a number of other disadvantages of toys, such as the possibility of children getting over-attached to them. And of course, it’s never a great idea for your kids to believe that you will cave into every tantrum of theirs and get them any toy they want!

You might now be wondering how to handle this. Well, wonder no more. Read on to learn about a few practical tips on how to leave a store without buying a toy:

Conditioning your kids beforehand
Kids are generally teachable, especially when they are taught early. So before you start from your home, tell your kid clearly what you are going to the store for. If it is purchasing few essentials or a birthday present for your cousin’s kid, tell your kid clearly that you are there only for this purpose – nothing more or nothing less.

Teaching your kid the benefits of being disciplined
You can tell your kid that if they manage to stay away from toys at the store, they can watch TV for longer hours, or play for longer hours. Children are programmed quickly when they see positive results. Once the kid knows that sacrificing that toy in the shop is worth it, then the kid won’t mind doing so. This requires an understanding on your part regarding the behavior of kids. Children are reinforced by getting responses. If the response is positive, they tend to repeat that behavior. So if you demonstrate to them the advantages of being disciplined , they will gladly fall in line.

Don’t react or respond when your kid throws tantrums
Kids often leave their parents in embarrassing situations by throwing tantrums in the shop . The parent, out of embarrassment, gives in to the kid’s demands. This reinforces their behavior. They think that if they behave rudely, you will give in eventually. The solution to this situation is to stay calm and not react to the kid. Once your kid understands that throwing tantrums doesn’t work, they will refrain from doing so again.

Give video feedback
Hold the mirror up to your kid, by taking photos, or better yet, a video of what they are doing; to show them how unruly it looks. Your kid will immediately understand this and will refrain from any further unruly behavior.

Be assertive
Some parents, unable to put up with the whining and crying, give into getting the toy that their kids want. This only increases the likelihood of similar behavior in the future. When your kid demands that you get a toy, keep telling them no without getting angry . Make your kid understand that you are the boss.

As you might have gathered, all the aforementioned suggestions basically depend on your understanding the psychology of your kids. The more you understand, the better equipped you are. You should know what works with your child and what doesn’t. This will give you the upper hand on how they will behave in the shop and how it can be handled. Above all, be firm about the fact that, come what may, you are not going to get that toy. Your sheer determination, more than anything else, is key to your being able to leave the store without that toy.