Tantrums, toddlers and the kindness of strangers

After a woman with a tantrumming toddler was asked to leave John Lewis (the store has since apologised), BBC News looks at some stories from parents shared on the CBeebies Grown-Ups Facebook page who have encountered strangers with slightly more sympathetic responses to their children.

Thumbs up for Dominic Turner - who had a "meltdown" in Tesco

Merryn Turner, Callington in Cornwall

My son Dominic decided to have a complete meltdown tantrum in the middle of Tesco.

It's something I'm used to, but being tired and busy I got a bit flustered whilst letting him get on with it.

I was standing there with my shopping bags and I was bright red in the face when a lady came over and gave me a Mars bar.

She said: "I think you'll need this when he's finished". She was spot on and it was much appreciated.

No silly walks needed - just funny faces from John Cleese to entertain a small girl

Becky Garrett, Watford

About 35 years ago, after a seating mix-up, John Cleese and his daughter and her friends ended up sitting behind us at a show-jumping event.

Seeing that my little sister not only recognised him, but was as clearly bored with the horsey stuff as he was, he spent the next couple of hours pulling faces and generally doing whatever he could to make her giggle.

Whether it was a performer's inner spotlight kicking in, or just empathy with my sister, he made it a brilliant evening and stopped the inevitable shuffling and bored whining in its tracks.

Both beautiful - Charlie and Connie Ashford

Louise Ashford, Watford

I was in a shop when a lady looked at my 10-week-old baby daughter Connie and said how gorgeous she is.

I saw my four-year-old son's face and the lady immediately said how gorgeous he is too. We're having a few jealousy issues at the moment, which isn't helped when people just concentrate on the baby, making Charlie feel bad.

That lady made his day - she's magic.

Suburban hero - Lee Mack came to the rescue in Surbiton

Sinéad Gerlis, Surbiton

I was struggling coming out of the post office with a pram and a man came up and helped me - it turned out to be comedian Lee Mack.

After helping me, he walked off - so he wasn't even coming into the shop anyway. He's come on purpose just to be helpful.

Supermarket saviour - a big-hearted checkout assistant helped Lizzie Olley with her son

Lizzie Olley, Leeds

My three-year-old boy ran off to the other side of the store when I was at the self-checkout at Sainsbury's.

I had no choice but to leave everything and run after him. He's very fast and I'm 36 weeks pregnant - not a good combination.

I lost it a little bit after he refused to stand up properly so almost had to drag him kicking back to the till. I was in tears at this point and a bit fed up. The lady manning the checkout took over, asking him questions and distracting him while I paid and got myself together.

She then made sure I was OK to drive and helped me out the store with my son and bags.

Thanks lady at checkout, it really helped.

Flying ace - Naomi Sohaba's children were entertained by fellow-passengers on an aeroplane

Naomi Sohaba, Isle of Man

On a flight to Tenerife my three-year-old was sitting a next to a lady travelling on her own. He spent the whole time talking to her, asking hundreds of questions and leaning over her to look out of the window.

When I tried to discourage him from bothering her she said she didn't mind and that she'd never had kids and having someone to talk to would make the journey more enjoyable for her. She certainly made the flight easier and allowed me and my husband to deal with our baby who wasn't so happy on the flight.

On the return flight a young girl spent the entire four hours pulling faces at my baby to keep her amused. She was my saviour.