Hi Ester! Hope you are feeling better after a sleep. We all have our hard days and needing rest and sleep is the number 1 in the list, especially without any of the kids sleeping on our body per say. Please do not worry what other mum/people are thinking about. If i was the other mum, i would use yours as an exampleà to my 2years old son. This is not the way to behave. You see, my son has the same temper tantrum. So your situation is a very good example to educate my child, positively. I would show him how he has actually been, himself.
Yes, i agree with you that its ok not to be around too many people and the pressure/ anxiety that he is feeling. Usually, in this situation if you quickly notice, give him warm long hugs and assure him you are with him and its ok to feel this way. (He's a toddler anyways) Next is to talk to him that if he doesn't like probably he could just sit down and quietly and hold on to something that he likes. If all fails and he started his tantrum again, let him be for awhile and you turn your back on him to cool yourself down and stay quiet say for 1 minute or so.
As for me, i trial n error many ways and my most effective method is when the tantrum starts i would raise my voice and say to him. I will let you cry and stay home while i and his sister will enjoy at the playground now. This method will always make him stop crying. Another method is to divert his attention to something else.
Hugs dear, you are doing well and hang in there. 😊
Samantha Bek