It's every parent's worst nightmare - trying to keep your grumpy preschooler in check with the eyes of the world upon you.
Thankfully, the Duchess of Cambridge rose to the challenge when her youngest son Louis, aged four, threw a wobbler at the lengthy weekend of celebrations for his great-grandmother's Platinum Jubilee.
The mischievous prince was seen putting his hand across his mum's mouth to shush her, sticking his tongue out and blowing a raspberry during the Platinum Party at the Palace concert.
A week on and we're still debating whether Louis should have behaved that way - and if Kate responded in the right fashion.
"A spoiled brat or a just a normal four-year-old?" asked the New York Post, while many posters on social media, of course, insisted their children would NEVER have behaved like that.
Well, my preschooler certainly would have and I think Kate did brilliantly.
Our future queen remained perfectly poised under pressure, with only a toss of her hair indicating she may have been feeling a little frazzled as she quietly but firmly reprimanded her son.
As one Mumsnet user put it: "Bet she poured herself the biggest gin ever after getting through that".
The thought of putting my daughter - who rivals Louis in being "spirited" - in a similar situation brings me out in a cold sweat.
A public tantrum in the supermarket is bad enough with only a few onlookers judging my parenting skills.
Even the most perfect preschooler has a tipping point and a bad combination of tiredness, boredom and - as uncle Mike Tindall revealed - plenty of sugary sweets backstage meant Louis had simply had enough.
But not to worry, for the adorable prince was a standout star of the Platinum Jubilee.
He came across as a cheeky four-year-old with bags of personality, roaring along when he saw a lion costume onstage and at one point popping on his grandad Prince Charles' knee for a reassuring cuddle that made viewers say a collective "ahhh".
As debate continued this week, Supernanny Jo Frost spoke out in the four-year-old's defence, saying: "I believe little Prince Louis behaved remarkably well over the whole weekend of much spectacular fanfare."
"All that sitting, watching and organisation, most children can't sit in their chairs at a dining table for longer than 15mins," the parenting expert went on to remind us.
Kate and William acknowledged the furore in lighthearted fashion, releasing a statement about how much they enjoyed the festivities which ended with "We all had an incredible time, especially Louis…"
The Prince had a blast - as did we watching him.
