When will this behavior stop? It may never stop unless you figure out why your child believes it's okay to treat you this way. Children "push the envelope" to see how you will react at 12-13 months old, two-two and a half, four, six, eight, twelve until eighteen.
Remember, they have spent their entire little lives observing your every move and reaction--they may know you much better than you know them.
Discipline is not about taking things away--it's about teaching children respect for themselves and for others--through manners or correcting them when they make a mistake, any mistake, so they learn right from wrong.
You never say why your child threw the fit in Target. No one could advise you unless you relay the exact circumstances that triggered that reaction--then you'll probably have the answer yourself.

Professor Mom

Yes, I can relate! My daughter is 2yrs and 7mnths. She test me every chance she gets. She doesn't listen at all. I try time out, but she comes right back out doing the same thing. I also have a 8yr old that she looks up to and try to be like. But she is worse than my 8yr old when she was two. I think it's something every parent will experience with a two yr old. Remember they are still learning and we as parents have to continue to teach right from wrong. Now the public thing, I know it embarrass us, but they understand. Try taking a snack for her or giving her a special toy she likes. Those things might keep her busy, until you get out of the store and back into your car. Let me know how it works. I tried it and it keeps my daughter occupied.

www.drgreene.com/21_556.html

This is an excellent article! Good luck. My youngest is 10, I'm pretty sure I've suppressed the terrible two's someplace very, very deep.

Hi tjlove,
She WILL come back, in her own good time. Twoyear olds are notorious for their temper tantrums, hence the well coined 'terrible twos'. What I've come to understand that it's about is them discovering and then asserting autonomy. Evidently up until that point, they see themselves as still being a part of us, literally an apendage, I am no expert, but I've met my share of pediatricians over the years and have been through the TT's five (and a half) times. Each time was different just as each child has a different personality, and each and every time it not only took me completely by surprise but was embarressing and scary to boot! DON'T take it personnally if you can possibly avoid it, she loves you and knows that she can't get by without her Mama. Trust that you are still the one who gets the tightest hugs and for whom she calls when she isn't feeling well. I am seeing through raising my grandchild that no matter what she does there really isn't any way that a Mama can be replaced completely. Rest assured. Kids also are on their best behavior in the presence of others, or in others territory I should say, as my kids behaed plenty bdly in stores and other publics places in front of strangers. But in daycare or with my parents they would be little angels and my blood would sometimes reach a boiling point! I finally got to a point with my guys where I just-when I logistically and emotionally could-ignored them and whatever they were doing. I also made it clear to them in NO uncertain terms that there would be later consequences if they did something in public and embarressed me and themselves. Then it was generally a time out, without a special doll, or sitting on the living room couch (if we happened to have a separate TV room at that particular time!) and their time outs I was taught by a wonderful old pediatrician amounted as well to one minute for every year of age. Occasionally it got longer, but I did find that if I let it go on for too long they would forget why they were there, so it was best to follow the minute rule and then follow it up with a talk in a room with just that child and me. Eventully they just grew out of it, but it's important, no matter what the toddlers age, I think, to keep the limits as clear as we can, reminding them when necessary and never (mostly) making threats that we can't or know that we won't be able to make good on. Follow through, consistency, patience and remembering that they DO love us and that it will pass all help. But in the heat of it, if you are able or as soon as you are able a time out of your own helps too. Lock yourself in the powder room if you have to, just get some time to compose yourself and remind yourself that you are a caring, concerned and compassionate Mom will take you the extra mile necessary to get through a tough day. Hang in there.

My daughter has always tested her boundaries more with her father and I than at school. I choose to believe this is because we have taught her to respect her teachers. Though her father and I expect her to show us respect as well, she knows we love her and we still will even when she is not at her most lovable.
She didn't really have a terrible two phase. Hers was a terrible three. In some ways, that was good because she was able to understand more than a two year old. We could ask her if she was being naughty or nice or how she would like it if her "baby" (doll) acted the way she was. Most of the time, one of those helped. Occasionally, I would catch her scolding her doll saying, "If you are going to hit mommy, you'll have to go to timeout." She is now four and has outgrown the really ugly phase. Remember, this will eventually pass. Hang in there!