I'm sure that mom didn't mean to ruin my day
That's the thought you need to grab and hold onto - 99 percent of all the comments other adults make to us as parents aren't meant to be rude or annoying or hurtful, most of the time they are just trying to make conversation - it might have even been this other mom's way of trying to be friendly. I'd venture a guess that another 50% of all the adults who make comments like this are making them because at one point in their own parenting journey they've BTDT and are remembering how tough it is!
I remember the first time my ds through a fit at the store, I just about melted into the cement I was so embarrassed that I couldn't get him to stop screaming! And he was my easy child - child #3 has given me more than a run for the money, and is so stubborn and strong-willed and loud that she's more than a few times made me wonder why the heck no one has reported us to the authorities because she sure *sounds* like she's being tortured when she's having a tantrum over the silliest of little things.
Somewhere along the line I guess my thick-skin set in or I just got so tired from everything else involved in being a parent that I stopped noticing the comments. I'll admit that when another adult looks or says something that feels like it's going to rub me the wrong way when dd's in the middle of a rage, I'll just smile snidely and suggest (out loud) that perhaps *they* can come on over and handle it if they are so much better at controlling children. Honestly, I am really a nice person in real life and I rarely ever ever think anything of these situations and would even way less often say something like that - but every once in awhile it can be very destressing to just say it
Sending you a hug!
polarbear
