Southwest airlines banned fat people from flying. Now MSNBC’s Christopher Elliott is claiming negligent parents shouldn’t be allowed to fly either.
Elliot defines negligent parents at those:
In “denial” who think their child can do no wrong.
Who don’t care if the child misbehaves.
Who are incapable of controlling their child (because every parent knows we can always control everything – wink!).
Having traveled a great deal with my own children, I don’t think those stereotypes fit the bill. In my experience, most parents recognize that their children aren’t perfect, try to ensure that they behave and try to control their child. The optimal word here is TRY.
Despite my best efforts (tylenol, ear drops, my breast, singing, bouncing, you name it), I could not stop my infant from crying/screaming while a plane was circling for an hour during landing. Nor could I prevent my 2 year old from vomiting all over himself and me and creating an unpleasant aroma for those around us, during the first hour of a five hour flight — Good times ! If I had the magic bullet to control these situations, you better believe I would have used it. Does that make me a bad parent who should be banned from air travel? I hope not, but what do I know — I can’t even “control” my own kids, or my husband for that matter.
But I do know that the following tips have helped, however slightly, to dissipate tension with fellow passengers:
Introducing myself prior to the flight and letting them know if my kids bother them in any way, they should feel free to tell me immediately and I will deal with it (this is intended both to let them know I am on it and also to prevent them from taking matters into their own hands with my kids – like hitting them or yelling at them).
Offering to buy them a meal or drink if they are annoyed about sitting near kids.
Flag down the flight attendent to help them move if they want to — better they be grouchy next to someone else.
Loudly reviewing the rules with my kids so the people sitting near us can hear them – I know this totally falls into the grandstand parenting category, but it seems to reassure others that there are rules.
Giving the kids a project, like stickers or coloring or reading a book together so they stay calm and in their seats prior to take off and landing.
Bringing lots of snacks, books, movies (with ear phones) to distract them throughout the flight.
Lolipops for emergencies! — with my kids and other passengers
Should bad parents be banned from planes?
Having traveled a great deal with my own children, I don’t think those stereotypes fit the bill. In my experience, most parents recognize that their children aren’t perfect, try to ensure that they behave and try to control their child. The optimal word here is TRY.
Despite my best efforts (tylenol, ear drops, my breast, singing, bouncing, you name it), I could not stop my infant from crying/screaming while a plane was circling for an hour during landing. Nor could I prevent my 2 year old from vomiting all over himself and me and creating an unpleasant aroma for those around us, during the first hour of a five hour flight — Good times
! If I had the magic bullet to control these situations, you better believe I would have used it. Does that make me a bad parent who should be banned from air travel? I hope not, but what do I know — I can’t even “control” my own kids, or my husband for that matter.
But I do know that the following tips have helped, however slightly, to dissipate tension with fellow passengers:
What other travel tricks work for you?