Waitrose Tantrum Shocker

If you were unlucky enough to be in Waitrose today around 12pm, that shrill screeching you were no doubt tutting about and that was probably responsible for your swifter than planned exit was none other than my precious little angel.

Despite desperately hoping that his behaviour at Cecilia’s was due to excessive tiredness, irritable bowels or pmt, it would seem not. That day was the start of something. Something horrible.

Terrible two’s my bottom. Terrible eighteen months more like. Immediate screaming follows any action deemed unsatisfactory by a precariously balanced Chickie. Today’s outburst was general displeasure at being placed in a shopping trolley. My attempts to inform Chickie that John Lewis partnership babies don't do tantrums, instead opting for sitting perfectly still whilst occasionally pointing to the organic fruit and vegetables they fancy for tea, fell on deaf ears.

Whilst he’s developed the adorable habit of cuddling into me before bedtime and stroking my hair, it’s the least he can do when you take into account the preceding behaviour. However, every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, there are two.

Firstly, it would seem Chickie has the telly addict gene which my father gave to me when I was a tot and I’ve lovingly passed on to my first born. Turn telly on, turn bad Chickie off. Fab. Yes, I know toddler tv addiction is not to be encouraged but the entrancing spell it casts is hard to resist.

Secondly, pre-school. A looming sparkly option. A place where Chickie can go and destroy someone else’s property leaving him so tired from his efforts that he'll sleep for the rest of the day.

As Chickie now demands that he walks everywhere free of the constraints of his pushchair or trike, I have cunningly tweaked the 'routine' to incorporate an intensive toddler power walk in the morning which has the dual benefit of keeping Chickie sweet whilst making him as sleepy as sleepy can be following luncheon. His three hour naps are making his mummy very happy.