Why is my kid crying in the grocery store?

Source: www.tvkart.com

Considering that Master D has only had a babysitter once in his entire life, he is turning into a remarkably independent child. He recently started insisting on walking everywhere, which was fine as long as I could keep up, but suddenly he is a sprinter and he careens around stores as if they're race tracks. He searches for opportunities to dash away from me, and when he finds them he wastes no time looking back to see where I am. I worry that he will run into elderly people and knock them down, or rush out of a grocery aisle into another shopper's cart, or simply run into the arms of some predator who sees that I am a few yards away, unable to keep my toddler out of harm's way.

So, the party is over! Yesterday, at the airport returning home from our annual trip to visit my parents in Florida, Master D was tethered to the monkey leash he dreads so much. Passersby all admired it, and giggled, and asked me where I found it, but Master D just howled and screamed, "NO MONKEY!!!!" over and over again. I explained that it was for safety, and that it was dangerous when he ran away from me, but my explanations only seemed to make him hate the monkey more because they reminded him of the freedoms he had lost. So I let him cry, and I went about my business at the ticket counter, security, etc.. People stared, and I wished I could explain that I am usually an attentive and caring mother, but I consoled myself with the fact that he was safe.

We had a similar experience at our favorite grocery store today. It has always been the best because it boasts TV Car Carts in which Master D can pretend to drive and watch "Bob the Builder" at the same time. All the other stores have Car Carts, with steering wheels, and we thought they were a big deal until these tricked out babies came into our lives this summer. At first, I relished leisurely shopping trips that allowed me to saunter down every aisle instead of beelining to the hummus and string cheese. But its novelty has started to wear off lately so we only shop once a week or I leave Master D with daddy. Today, even after two weeks without our dear carts, the magic was gone. Master D climbed in excitedly, seemed glad to see "Thomas the Tank Engine" pop up as the first show, but quickly started climbing out and demanding to walk.

I tried to negotiate with him - we could go see the fish tanks if he got back in the cart. He could ride the mechanical horse after our shopping if he got back in the cart. He could have turkey sausage for dinner if he got back int the cart. He could have chocolate in the car if he got back in the cart. Mamas, nothing worked. He just kept trying to run, and I kept picking him up and trying to bribe him. So he started to cry and throw himself on the ground, in full tantrum. People stared, and tried to get by us, and finally I just hauled my kicking, screaming toddler out of the store and put him in his car seat.

I never see other kids doing this, so I know I must be to blame. Perhaps it's because he always cried in his stroller as a baby, and I dreaded the stares and comments as we walked down the NYC streets, so he never learned that sometimes we just need to run errands. Maybe I have let him walk so many times that he thinks I will always cave, and that walking in stores is his god-given right. Whatever the cause, I need help! We will be eating frozen chicken nuggets for dinner tonight because our post-vacation refrigerator is bare. Where have I gone wrong?!