My child had a tantrum in a restaurant – and changed my parenting approach

It hit me that eating out with children is no longer worth it (Picture: Catherine Balavage)

My worst parenting moment to date happened last year when my daughter, exhausted after her swimming lesson, threw an epic tantrum in the middle of a Pizza Express.

It started with crying. Then she stood on a chair and tried to shake the railing on the side.

When we tried to get her to calm down, she threw herself to the floor and screamed her head off.

Eventually, embarrassed, I flung her over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry and hurried out of the restaurant.

As I waited in the cold, dark, winter evening for the rest of my family to emerge – my husband was hastily paying the £91 bill and bundling the other children into their jackets – a Deliveroo driver stared i...