Parenting 101: Toddler Taming

Firstly I'm on the fence about whether or not to call my almost 3 year old a 'toddler' anymore because to me 'toddler' implies that he still has some baby left but he is a real little boy now, no baby left at all. Anyway my little brown eyed boy and I had to go shopping for garbage bins which I knew would not be a very pleasant outing due to his response to being told "I no wanna go shops, I wanna go nannies!" First thing he noticed as we walked through the centre was one of those motorised rides which happened to be a 'Big Red Car' and knowing his favourite thing in the world is the Wiggles I told him he could have a turn if was really well behaved while I bin shopped. He was relatively good (except for asking multiple times for his ride) so that earned him his reward. We left the shop and I gave him money to put in, before we did so I warned him that he was only having 1 turn and 1 money because mummy wasn't giving him anymore than that. So Mr Brown-Eyes loved his ride until it stopped and I gently reminded him of what I had said but he could sit there just a little longer. Then it was time to go, cue the waterworks and his refusal to leave. I started to walk away saying I was leaving, he sat there still refusing to move (this tactic always works on his big brother but only sometimes works with him). So I went and picked him up and brought him over to where I'd left the trolley. He lost it, crying, yelling and threw himself in the ground. This was when I started to get a little embarrassed but I took a deep breath and calmly said to him "that's fine we'll just wait till your done" to which a passer by commented "good work mum", So that was a lot nicer than the dirty looks mums usually get. Then the funniest thing happened, some might think it mean but It was bloody effective. A scrubby looking bearded long haired man walked up and said "hey what are you doing, you listen to your mum or I'll tip a bucket of water on you". Mr Brown-Eyes got up quickly completely shitting himself and pressed himself against me. I gave the man a thankful smile and we walked swiftly away. My little boy was on his best behaviour for the rest of our shopping. When we got to the car I asked him what had happened and why he think it happened. He said the man was gonna put water on him for yelling at mummy and that he didn't want that and he didn't like the man. I think that it was a good little lesson for my little boy and some may think it excessive but I bet that from now all all it will take to prevent a repeat of the behaviour will be a gentle warning about the man who comes to throw a bucket of water on you if you throw a tantrum at the shops. So thank you random strangers for your encouragement and support. I am sure Mr Brown Eyes will for sure think twice about a shopping centre tantrum in the future.