Nothing lasts forever and neither will the tantrum in aisle 4.
This is of little comfort when you have to make it to aisle 10 before leaving the store, but it can help to remember this bad moment is just that - a moment.

This stage, this age... it will all pass.

I'm not going to tell you to "enjoy it now" or "it goes by so fast" because you know what?! It does not go by THAT fast. Not for me. My oldest is 8 years old. My life 9 years ago feels like a million years ago -another life.

Raising kids.. it's all about stages. One comes and one goes. Yes, the good ones leave, too. This reality of constant change, the "they will grow out of it" truth brings me a bit of pause and peace. It will pass. It will end. Sure it took my one son until he was 5 - FIVE!! - to really be fully potty trained and I started to doubt this truth, but it happened. WITHOUT ME GOING TO THERAPY! YAY!

So, this moment in aisle 4 where your little one needs help navigating out of this black hole of emotions, you can do this. You're the only one who will do this. No really, the only one. Every other adult is steering clear of you and your train wreck. So it's best to take a deep breath and navigate out of the situation knowing... it's a just a moment. It will soon pass.

And it will likely get replaced by something more expensive the next aisle over.