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Last weekend I was flying with my sister in law and her 2 year old. The baby is actually pretty good on the plane. He can get fussy or whiny once in a while but my SIL doesn't put up with it at all (my kids were pretty good but I tended to play with them to occupy them, she is stricter then I was and more stern, but he tends to do as told...more then one right way to parent, I think she is great).
Still, traveling with a toddler is a very stressful experience. And anyone with any common sense would realize it is most stressful for the parent (as they had to lug them there, through security, keep them busy, change diapers, keep them entertained/fed/happy etc and that is a constant job for a parent of a little one on a plane) then the other passengers (as can put in ear buds and relax, usually).
I was very surprised while boarding, a man a couple rows ahead of us looked right at me and my SIL, rolled his eyes and announced LOUDLY "WELL WE ARE ALL IN FOR A TREAT" and then looked around to see if his comment got attention from the other passengers (he didn't). At that moment, the baby wasn't making a peep, we were just sorting our bags out, but not holding anyone up...just doing what people do when they first sit down. I had a thought of what I would have liked to say, but instead I nicely assured him that the baby did fine on planes.
And that was the case. The baby made a few loud noises once in a while but was quickly distracted or scolded. There was no crying endlessly, excessive screaming, running or climbing, no kicking the backs of seats or being a pest to other passengers. The baby slept for about half the flight then took turns sitting on my or my SIL's lap and looking at books or cartoons, getting a snack, or playing with a new toy.
At the end of the flight I joked kindly to the man "not bad for a toddler, huh?" and he sort of nodded but mostly ignored me.
I don't mind babies on planes...yes it sucks if they scream the whole time. But I put in my ear buds and turn up the volume and just feel terrible for the parents....wish I could help but then also feel glad it wasn't me who had to try to soothe them the entire time.
So I am wondering, for those who do think babies shouldn't be on planes, or cringe when they see them, would you ever have the nerve to try to call out or otherwise embarrass a mom with a baby/toddler...even when there was no issue at present? Would you say something if the baby/toddler was misbehaving?
I was kind of shocked by it...but its been a while since my kids were that little and I don't recall if I ever or often ran into people like that (we traveled all the time by plane).
I'm pretty sure if somebody had reacted badly when I boarded a plane with my (now adult) children, I'd still remember it. Since over 1.7 million people fly daily without the news being full of reports of passengers raising a fuss over children on board, I just don't think this is much of an issue. There are jerks everywhere, even in the air.
With the various shenanigans on planes these days, from screaming passengers running up and down the aisles to people getting dragged off to emotional support animals sitting next to you, flying has become a real crapshoot.
But no, saying something like that is a jerky thing to do. Unfortunately jerks are still allowed on planes too.
my only concern is the child, I'm wondering if it hurts their ears sometime....not all kids, but maybe some kids have a problem with it, plus, it must be a bit scary for them, and to sit that long, is difficult.
Ive never had a bad experience with kids being on a plane and my own child on the plane. I think some people just feel like that they have to have something to say....
my only concern is the child, I'm wondering if it hurts their ears sometime....not all kids, but maybe some kids have a problem with it, plus, it must be a bit scary for them, and to sit that long, is difficult.
Let's face it nobody wants to hear a bloodcurdling cry or scream anywhere, let alone on a plane where there is no escape, for anyone.
And you're right, it t does cause many children to have pain sometimes even older children. It's very difficult for them as well as their parents because there's only so much one can do to ease their suffering. I did go through this with all of my children and it's distressing to everyone but mostly and unfortunately to the baby/child/children who don't understand what is happening to them and why they're having pain.
"I wish I knew then what I know now", for their sake not mine.
Flying's Effects on Ears
Tips for Easing Ear Pain
Some simple things to try during air travel can help equalize the air pressure in your child's ears and eliminate, or at least decrease, ear pain. Have your child:
Of all the times I've been annoyed by other passengers, I don't think it was ever a small child.
Yep. Besides the obviously inebriated, I've more than once encountered adults who are completely clueless regarding etiquette in confined space. I was on a short (under 2 hour) 7 a.m. flight last week and sat next to man who was probably in his 60s, who played solitaire on his phone a good amount of time. Volume on and no headphones plugged in. Luckily I had headphones. I flew that same flight a few weeks earlier with at least 3 infants and numerous toddlers. Didn't hear more than a peep out of any of them.
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