LET'S BE honest – bringing your kids out shopping can be a stressful experience.
They can often find things they want that you have to say no to, which ultimately ends up with them having a tantrum.
But one mum-of-three, Hannah Canavan, has revealed the nine tips she uses to prevent meltdowns on TikTok, just in time for Christmas.
The mum, from South London wrote: "How to shop with kids with no tantrums (9 gentle parenting tips)."
Hannah demonstrates the techniques as she goes around the shops with her children.
First, the mum said you should set a clear, quantifiable boundary at the start – whether that's how much money there is to spend or how many items.
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Another important step to do when something catches their eye is to remind them they might want something another time.
You can also give them the option of getting the item in the future rather than giving them a hard 'no'.
Often kids are just excited about something rather than wanting to buy it so Hannah suggests showing interest in the items.
Another tip Hannah revealed was taking photos of the items so they know you aren't disregarding their interest.
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Another way to prevent tantrums is to ask if they want a certain amount of time to finish looking so they can prepare to leave, and to then give a final heads up you'll be leaving soon.
Next, you should try to distract them by discussing something positive to look forward to when they leave.
Finally, if they do become tearful, practice disappointment management.
Hannah recommends not arguing with them but reminding them of their options and comforting them.
The mum captioned the post: "Christmas shopping in particular is challenging and I know that parents will increasingly have to do this with their kids in tow.
"I thought I’d share how I managed the gift shop at a seal sanctuary today- my 7 year old really wanted a cuddly (her bed is full of them!) and I used the same communication techniques (listening and speaking) to help my kids look around and leave without tantrums- even though she was a bit tearful at the end she didn’t kick up or protest leaving at all, I gave her a cuddle and within 2-3 minutes of leaving she was 100% fine."
Viewers loved Hannah's tips, one wrote: "This is amazing and really helped me. The birthday list and Christmas list help me so much."
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Another person commented: "This was so helpful, what kind of things do they need to do to get pocket money?"
A third penned: "This teaches great money management too."
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