Say something kind to a parent having a bad time
A toddler melting down in public means a parent convinced that everyone is judging them. Usually everyone is sympathetic and silent.
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Why it lands
Public tantrums produce acute shame in parents, driven by an assumption that onlookers are critical. Most onlookers are not — they are either indifferent or remembering their own version — but silence is indistinguishable from disapproval. One sentence breaking that silence converts an experience of public judgement into one of solidarity, which is a large change for very little.
How
Keep it short and about them, not the child: “You're doing fine. Mine did exactly this in this exact shop.” Then move on rather than staying to watch. Do not offer advice or engage the child.
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