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Here here! It makes me sad to see so much blatant hatred towards children. When my wife and I flew to Disney World there were some children crying on the flight. Instead of getting angry, we did what we could to help entertain the child. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. But we were patient and smart enough to know that the child couldn't help how he/she feels with the pressure change and boredom of sitting without playing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vamos
I don't care. I have never had a problem with kids on a plane and I average about 40 flights a year. Perhaps it's all up to individual tolerance - I know that kids have a hard time with pressure changes, with being in confined spaces, and being trapped for long periods of time. I understand that it can be frustratingly stressful to get an entire family on an airplane, from packing to boarding. I know that this stuff is not easy with young children. I also understand that toddlers can't be reasoned with - no matter how much mum or dad try.
There are idiots on this board who think spanking the kids is the answer. Of course, I've never met a kid that responded to spanking with anything other than crying and screaming. Thus, such suggestions seem a bit moronic and counterproductive.
I also understand that having small kids in a bulkhead area makes life a lot easier for everyone - there is more space and junior can actually sit on the floor with his toys. I am willing to be gracious and forgo the legroom if it makes the kids happier and the parent's life easier.
Sure, if there is a handicapped person, that person needs to get priority.
I am also willing to give up my seat so that families can sit together. You know why? Simple - if they are forced to sit apart, it could be me ending up next to an unrelated three-year old. I have a feeling having a three-year old being separated from mum or dad for several hours is not going to work for anyone. I may not love to give up the seat i reserved, but being a social animal, it's possible to reason with me. I am also quite aware that one seat tends to suck just as much as the next.
For, you see, unlike some people, I understand that sometimes, there are no other options and that my inconvenience may just be worth it.
Obviously, we live in selfish times with selfish people insisting on their selfish rights.
To me, this is just a really, really sad commentary on our societal development. I truly feel sorry for all the pathetic haters on this board.
Other societies have gone through such developments. Germany comes to mind. They used to have a very child-friendly society. Then people became increasingly self-obsessed. Tolerance of children diminished to the point where kids where simply perceived as a nuisance. As a consequence, birth rates are so low that the number of Germans is steadily decreasing. It's societal suicide.
Because people find children who have parents who allow them to be disruptive on an airplane or in a restaurant, is not HATE!!! As most people pointed out, the children suffer the backlash because of the inaction or failure of the parents to take into consideration that their children may, just may, be disrupting other people and fail to at least try to correct the situation.
The parents are screaming so loud defending their child's rights, that they aren't getting the message, which is: control your children. Be mindful that there are other people who also have the right to travel without disruption, and that they shouldn't have to be subjected to your child's bad behavior. I don't have a problem with a child that has a parent who is at least trying to do their best to keep their child from being disruptive, but they are in the minority.
Some restaurants have taken to not allowing children in during dinner service. Why would that be??
Because people find children who have parents who allow them to be disruptive on an airplane or in a restaurant, is not HATE!!! As most people pointed out, the children suffer the backlash because of the inaction or failure of the parents to take into consideration that their children may, just may, be disrupting other people and fail to at least try to correct the situation.
The parents are screaming so loud defending their child's rights, that they aren't getting the message, which is: control your children. Be mindful that there are other people who also have the right to travel without disruption, and that they shouldn't have to be subjected to your child's bad behavior. I don't have a problem with a child that has a parent who is at least trying to do their best to keep their child from being disruptive, but they are in the minority.
Some restaurants have taken to not allowing children in during dinner service. Why would that be??
Because people find children who have parents who allow them to be disruptive on an airplane or in a restaurant, is not HATE!!! As most people pointed out, the children suffer the backlash because of the inaction or failure of the parents to take into consideration that their children may, just may, be disrupting other people and fail to at least try to correct the situation.
The parents are screaming so loud defending their child's rights, that they aren't getting the message, which is: control your children. Be mindful that there are other people who also have the right to travel without disruption, and that they shouldn't have to be subjected to your child's bad behavior. I don't have a problem with a child that has a parent who is at least trying to do their best to keep their child from being disruptive, but they are in the minority.
Some restaurants have taken to not allowing children in during dinner service. Why would that be??
I haver rarely seen a parent who is so clueless or so entitled that they simply let their kids go crazy. Those people do exist, though, and there is no doubt that some parents just sit and act oblivious.
The majority of parents I have seen try everything possible to calm their kids down when on a plane. Unfortunately, toddlers and babies simply don't understand why their ears hurt during take-off and landing. No distraction and not reasoning will do... That's just life.
Looking at the videos someone posted above I can only surmise that not a single person would be upset if it was a car horn that constantly blares. Increasingly, there seems to be a lot more tolerance of cars than there is of children. Pathetic, but that's what we have become.
...kids don't behave any worse than they ever did, it's just that people used to not take them out so much.
BINGO!
I agree 100%. I don't have any kids of my own, but I do notice that parents seem to take their kids everywhere these days. Whatever happened to hiring a babysitter for the night?
BTW, where are all these kids (especially children under the age of 5) going that they have to take an airplane? I was born in 1966 and I didn't take my first airplane ride until I was 18 years old and even then I had to buy my own ticket. I guess my family was poor and thus we couldn't afford to travel by air to exotic locations or Disney World, etc.
I have seen kids (under the age of 10) in the bar area of restaurants at 9:00 pm. Shouldn't these kids be home in bed at that time? My parents required that me and my siblings went to bed before 9:00 pm up to the age of 16.
I remember my parents having "gourmet parties" in our house where only adults were invited. Us kids were required to go upstairs at 7:00 pm and not come down while the party was going on. That was cool, because we got to sleep in sleeping bags on the floor, listen to music (no TVs in the bedrooms upstairs) and eat snacks that our parents provided to us. I always remember sitting at the top of the stairs and listening to the adults laughing and talking and smelling the wonderful "gourmet food."
Nowadays, having adult gourmet parties would be creepy. It is all about the kids...all parties revolve around the kids. It's a shame.
As people also mentioned they get the take off and landing problem that children suffer from. It's what takes place in between. I live outside the US and there are many US expat families here, who return to the states during Christmas and for the summer. A 14 hour flight. So I speak from experience. After traveling in economy twice, I will only travel business. I highly doubt that a car horn blasting for 5 to 14 hours would go un-noticed and not to be irritating.
I was on a flight and a pilot was flying back to the US sitting near me next to the window, in the last row in business. His wife and 3 kids were in economy behind the bulkhead and one of his kids was constantly coming up to business leaning across from me or climbing over me "Daddy, this" Daddy, that". Fortunately there was an empty seat across the aisle. I told him I would be moving so that his daughter could have easy access to him. The child, for all intents and purposes, should not have been going back and forth from economy to business. If I was sitting near an annoying drunk and changed seats, would I be wrong? But when the plane is a full load, there is no option to change seats.
I agree 100%. I don't have any kids of my own, but I do notice that parents seem to take their kids everywhere these days. Whatever happened to hiring a babysitter for the night?
Babysitters are expensive nowadays. Plus, with today's crazy schedules parents probably don't want to leave their kids behind during every trip out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peebola
BTW, where are all these kids (especially children under the age of 5) going that they have to take an airplane? I was born in 1966 and I didn't take my first airplane ride until I was 18 years old and even then I had to buy my own ticket. I guess my family was poor and thus we couldn't afford to travel by air to exotic locations or Disney World, etc.
Air travel is very popular now. I don't see anything wrong with it. And how do you know these kids are always jet setting off to exotic locales? You are seeing these families one time. How do you know it isn't a once yearly trip? Maybe the family has relatives in another state?
Quote:
Originally Posted by peebola
I have seen kids (under the age of 10) in the bar area of restaurants at 9:00 pm. Shouldn't these kids be home in bed at that time? My parents required that me and my siblings went to bed before 9:00 pm up to the age of 16.
Perhaps those families are traveling. Maybe they were out running errands after school and work and are stopping for a quick bite to eat. Maybe it's their one night a month they go out to eat. *shrug*
Quote:
Originally Posted by peebola
I remember my parents having "gourmet parties" in our house where only adults were invited. Us kids were required to go upstairs at 7:00 pm and not come down while the party was going on. That was cool, because we got to sleep in sleeping bags on the floor, listen to music (no TVs in the bedrooms upstairs) and eat snacks that our parents provided to us. I always remember sitting at the top of the stairs and listening to the adults laughing and talking and smelling the wonderful "gourmet food."
Nowadays, having adult gourmet parties would be creepy. It is all about the kids...all parties revolve around the kids. It's a shame.
We have adult parties too, after the children are in bed and sleeping. No one I know would think that was creepy and it's actually quite common around here to do this.
As people also mentioned they get the take off and landing problem that children suffer from. It's what takes place in between. I live outside the US and there are many US expat families here, who return to the states during Christmas and for the summer. A 14 hour flight. So I speak from experience. After traveling in economy twice, I will only travel business. I highly doubt that a car horn blasting for 5 to 14 hours would go un-noticed and not to be irritating.
I was on a flight and a pilot was flying back to the US sitting near me next to the window, in the last row in business. His wife and 3 kids were in economy behind the bulkhead and one of his kids was constantly coming up to business leaning across from me or climbing over me "Daddy, this" Daddy, that". Fortunately there was an empty seat across the aisle. I told him I would be moving so that his daughter could have easy access to him. The child, for all intents and purposes, should not have been going back and forth from economy to business. If I was sitting near an annoying drunk and changed seats, would I be wrong? But when the plane is a full load, there is no option to change seats.
I have never experienced anything like this, anywhere.
I have never experienced anything like this, anywhere.
Is that to say it doesn't happen? Or I made it up because you never experienced it? Expats, including pilots and families get an annual return ticket (usually in economy) paid by their employers. This particular pilot worked for the airline he was flying on, so maybe that's how he got a business seat. I get an annual ticket, and I pay the difference to up grade to business.
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