Yesterday, a United Airlines flight had to return to the gate after taxiing because a pregnant mother couldn’t calm her wailing two-year-old. A fellow traveler shared this on Facebook: Emily Johnson was seven months pregnant and juggling her little one. Wow, what a challenge! Boarding a plane while expecting and managing a toddler is no small feat. And if only toddlers came with “off switches,” right? Oh, wait—those don’t exist!
The whole flight ended up delayed for over an hour just to fetch Emily’s bag. Honestly, I think everyone on board would have preferred to endure a few minutes of a crying child instead. It’s really not fair to treat parents of young kids this way. Not too long ago, a mother, her three kids, and a grandmother were booted off a US Airways flight because one of the toddlers was kicking his feet in the aisle. Can we please not make this a trend, flight attendants?
My son used to be a dream on flights—until one fateful day. He got carsick on the way to the airport and was already in a terrible mood by the time we boarded. He wasn’t crying initially, but once we started taxiing, my usually calm child turned into a mini tornado of screams. So much fun, right? The guy sitting next to me muttered something snarky like, “This should be great.” Ugh. I had already exhausted one bottle trying to calm him down, so I was totally out of options. Suddenly, a flight attendant appeared, beaming with kindness, offering to warm a bottle or assist in any way. It was a lifesaver. I ended up sending a thank-you note to that wonderful Jet Blue flight attendant whose name I can’t recall. I’m the mom who was drenched in puke, milk, and who knows what else, and you made a tough situation so much better.
I absolutely cannot stand when people say things like, “I don’t mind toddlers; it’s the parents that annoy me.” Seriously? If the parents are trying their best to soothe their crying child, what more do you want? And admonishing a pregnant woman to keep her toddler quiet? Good luck finding a foolproof method for that! Until someone invents one, let’s all agree that sometimes it’s just not possible.
For more insights on navigating parenting challenges, check out this post on surviving air travel with kids.
In conclusion, let’s have a little understanding and compassion for parents traveling with young children. We’re all just trying to make it through without too much chaos!