Thanks so much for the mention!  This is such an easy trap to fall into, hopefully someone will get some strength and inspiration to get through it.  

We have the same problem with our kids when they were young. What we did was we talked to our 2 kids, we told them that they can play with 1 toy while we were shopping but they have to return it when we were done. We go to the toy section first and let my 2 daughters  pick a toy and play with it while we shopped. When were done shopping we go back to the toy section and ask them to put the toy back  on the rack. Problem solved!

We  buy them toys twice a year, birthday and christmas and if they want a toy they have to use their allowance. Believe me they will know the value of money in a young age by doing this. I noticed that they think twice before they spend the money.

My 4 yr old daughter tried the screaming routine one day while in Wal-Mart. After 2 trips to the ladies room to try to compose ourselves, I simply took the full buggy to the front of the store, left it with the greeter, and took her home. Once home, I explained that she wouldn't be going back to the store with me, and she didn't for about a month. That cured that problem!

We have five children ranging from 8-15 years old. Many times when I went shopping with them over the years, I would have a trail of wails following me through the store.

Buy this, buy that, I want this, I want that. We do not buy new electronic expensive

($150+ toys!!) gadgets for our kids, even though every child in the neighborhood seems to have the latest toy. Our solution has been to teach our children the value of saving for what they want with their Christmas money, birthday money and chore money. The excitement of going to the store and purchasing what they want after saving for it is a wonderful life lesson. It has alwo taught them the value of waiting, and paying with cash. Sometimes they decide they are no longer interested in a certain new expensive gadget and are willing to wait and save for something else.

They have learned to think about what they want to spend their money on. The older ones are teaching the younger ones, and building on life's saving lessons my husband and I are instilling in them. My oldest son of 13 years, is on his way to becoming a smart frugal young man. He has purcharsed a Playstation at a garage sale for $20 and a DS game player for $ 25! It takes patience to raise children this way and is sometimes painful to tell them "no", but the lessons taught will benefit them all their life. We try to teach them to pause before purchase, and is this a need or a want.

They think before they spend.

I was never allowed to misbehave.  Got spanked.  My kids were never allowed to misbehave.  They got spanked.

As for myself, I hate shopping, but it's a necessary evil.  I DO NOT want to have to listen to someone elses children screaming at the top of their lungs.  Take the little buggers home and spank their butts.  I also dislike having to dodge around the little "darlings" because their running all over the store.  What ever happened to good manners?  Doesn't anyone teach their kids good manners anymore?  Apparently not.  

Wow, Ashley is so very smart! If only she was my sister or something, ha ha ha. I love my spoiled little nephew he rocks, and so does Maddy! You are a great parent and congrats on getting mentioned on MSN!! Love you!

I got spanked, too.  It works but people seem so afraid to discipline (read: NOT ABUSE) their children.  If you aren't a fan of spanking, you can always give a little tug at those fine hairs at the nape of your kid's neck.  It's quick and works like a charm.

I absolutely agree that it helps to set limits before you even go into the store. I set boundaries with my 2 boys from a young age letting them know what to expect of the shopping trip and what I would and would not tolerate. On one particular grocery trip my 8 year old  son decided to push those boundaries to see if I would give in to multiple I want I wants... I told him that we could use his allowance to buy those items he seemed to not be able to live without. He quitely contiplated this and agreed, setting those extra items aside in the basket. When we got to the checkout and he saw the total of those wants he realized how much of his hard earned allowance he spent. He prided himself with how well he saved and remembered how much he had to work for the money now gone. The next time we went to the store he was quiter than usual and he didnt ask for any treats that day. At the checkout my son informed me that he knew I worked hard to make our money stretch for the groceries and he offered up his allowance to help me. My boys have made me proud at many different times as they have grown. It's nice to know that if you actually parent your child instead of giving in to every whim, scream and tantrum that you can wind up having a child that is considerate, compassionate and sometimes generous beyond their years.

It's very interesting to me that the comments above all serve the purpose of patting ones self on the back for "parenting the right way". When I see a child throwing a fit in a store I don't presume to know what the circumstances are. I do not know if that child has a mental disability, I do not know if that child is on medication (such as steroids for asthma or chemotherapy), I do not know if that is a previously abused child, a child recently put into foster care, I do not know if that child has just lost his father or mother or sibling. If only we could take a step outside of ourselves as parents and understand that a lot of us are just trying to do the best we can.  

Its easier to give in than to discipline.  We love our kids and will not take the easy way out.