Humiliated at the Reno Airport

[Baliezer]

Originally Posted by Tink888

I am curious too because the OP's post isn't very clear. In the beginning it sounds like they were all still curbside when this happened but at the end of the post it says right outside the bathroom and for me it would matter depending on where they were.

In the airport? With the kids & luggage standing right outside of the bathroom where I could shout out to them and them to me if they needed me, I don't see a problem.

3 kids 11 and younger, outside, with luggage while I went inside to the bathroom? No I wouldn't do it. I can completely sympathize with the situation but if they were still curbside I think I'd let my 2 year old be messy for a few minutes, or try cleaning her up out there as much as I could before I'd leave the kids & luggage curbside.

At any rate OP, I'd let it go and not beat yourself up about it. We all as parents just do the best we can. Sometimes we wish we could do things differently but it's over, your kids are fine and you'll probably never see any of those people at the airport again. Better to have that employee say something to you out of caution for your kids, than to not notice them at all KWIM?

Forget about it and move on.

We were inside near the bathroom. The girls were sitting on a row of benches.

Originally Posted by allison443

I'm sorry this happened to you. However, why didn't you stand up for yourself? I think you should have tried to stand up for yourself especially in front of your dds! You crying and shaking could have scared your dds as much as the lady talking in a loud voice.

I know it's hard but I think for many of us, once we have kids we have to go outside our comfort zone to handle different situations. You can't just sit there and cry! (I mean that in a nice way!)

Don't let this ruin your vacation. I'm sure you have a lot of happy memories, try to focus on those!

At the time I was scared because she threatened to call TSA. It was late and my girls had school today. I did not want any trouble. Just wanted to get home.

Originally Posted by Ceila

I'm confused about how the agent called your husband. How did she get his number? If it was from your oldest, did she explain what was happening?

As others have said, it would depend on the location to me. Inside, right outside of the restroom? No big deal. Outside where people drop off? I probably would not have left the kids there.

She pulled up our reservation from the information that my oldest gave her.

[Poohforyou]

OP, your post is a little confusing. You say you moved your kids to the side after bringing the luggage into the airport and sat them down. To me that sounds like they were near the ticket counter and not right outside the bathroom. If that was the case I probably would have taken the 4 yo with me and left the 2 older ones there. I think security probably noticed your little one and that's what set off the alarms.

I really don't know why you got so upset and let this ruin your vacation. You know your kids and what they're capable of.

[Wall-E1]

Originally Posted by Baliezer

We were inside near the bathroom. The girls were sitting on a row of benches.



At the time I was scared because she threatened to call TSA. It was late and my girls had school today. I did not want any trouble. Just wanted to get home.



She pulled up our reservation from the information that my oldest gave her.

I would contact SW and complain. I don't see any reason that the agent should have spoken to you that way.

[VAfamily1998]

Originally Posted by family3indisney

I traveled alone with my 11year old boy and would have to send him to the mens room by himself then he would wait out by the luggage while I went into the womens room, I dont think you were wrong. Probably just a very cautious employee, like the previous poster said maybe they had some bad experiences in the past.

I agree.

Mom of 4 boys here. A few weeks ago I took one of them on a trip to NYC, we took the train into Penn Station. On the way home, waiting in Penn Station for our train, we each had to use the restroom. I had him wait outside in the main atrium with our luggage while I used it, then I sent him into the men's room while I waited outside.

[DVCJones]

You did nothing wrong. You were well within your rights to do what you did. That security person was way out of line. I think I would call and complain to the airline/airport. At best the security guard (if so concerned) should have just stood by until you were finished in the bathroom dealing with your 2 yo sick diaper. Then they should have moved on.

I'm sorry that happened to you.

[Iforgetmypassword]

Originally Posted by Poohforyou

OP, your post is a little confusing. You say you moved your kids to the side after bringing the luggage into the airport and sat them down. To me that sounds like they were near the ticket counter and not right outside the bathroom. If that was the case I probably would have taken the 4 yo with me and left the 2 older ones there. I think security probably noticed your little one and that's what set off the alarms.

I really don't know why you got so upset and let this ruin your vacation. You know your kids and what they're capable of.

I agree. She was doing her job and looking out for your kids. Sorry that you felt humiliated and embarrassed, but looking back, I think I'd feel grateful that someone was concerned about the other girls.

Why would you ask your oldest child if you did anything wrong? I didn't put much faith in what my pre-teen kids thought. My husband's opinion matters more to me than what an 11-year old thought.

[mefordis]

Originally Posted by Sadie22

I'm sorry you felt embarrassed. I'm probably the lone dissenter, but I don't understand why you didn't wait for your husband to return to you before one of you went to change the baby. I would have sent my DH to deal with the poopy mess. The baby was in no danger, so it wasn't that much of a rush to accomplish the change that it was necessary to leave children in an international airport without adult supervision or help. What would the 11-year-old have done if someone had attempted to steal some luggage or if the 4-year-old needed to use the bathroom and insisted that was an emergency?

No. I agree with this. I would have waited for my husband, poopy mess and all. A little poop never killed anyone (that I am aware of).

I don't think an 11 year old has the ability to exercise good judgement in taking care of a 4 yr old in a public setting like a busy international airport.

Four kids is a LOT of kids. You have your plate full. I'm sure if you had spoken with an agent to please keep an eye on your girls while you took care of the mess, they would have done so. They did anyway, as it turns out!

[goofyintoronto]

I wouldn't have left my kids. I would have waited for my husband to come back. Anything could have happened in the short time you're in the bathroom.

[indygirl99]

What bothers me is she was able to get enough information out of your daughter to get flight information and your husbands phone number to be able to call him and tell him she was concerned that they were alone. Instead of your daughter telling her you were in the bathroom changing her sisters diaper.

This alone speaks to the ability of your daughter to make decisions in an international airport that involves her and her siblings safety. It sounds like your daughter is expected to grow up to fast. 11 is way to young to be responsible for 2 other people and luggage in an international airport.

Where I am from the second call would have been made to security and the third call would have been to child protective services. And yes they would have been very late to school the next morning.

[Lilliputian]

It sounds like the SW employee overreacted, and I'm sure that you know your children best and were sure they'd be okay. However, I'd have taken the 4 year old into the bathroom with me. I have 5 children ages 10, 8, 5, 3, and 8 months. I only leave my older ones with the 3 year old if he's buckled in a stroller and I'll only be gone a minute or two, at most. I know 4 can be a lot different than 3, but in an airport, it's just a good idea to keep little ones by your side.

It's hard to think clearly when you're intent on doing one thing (getting on your airplane) and are blindsided by another emergency. When I can't think of a good way to handle things, I ask my oldest children. They aren't usually as frazzled by the situation as I am (since they wouldn't be responsible for getting us on the plane or changing the baby, in this example) and can think more clearly.

[zoo2tycoon]

Originally Posted by indygirl99

What bothers me is she was able to get enough information out of your daughter to get flight information and your husbands phone number to be able to call him and tell him she was concerned that they were alone. Instead of your daughter telling her you were in the bathroom changing her sisters diaper.

This alone speaks to the ability of your daughter to make decisions in an international airport that involves her and her siblings safety. It sounds like your daughter is expected to grow up to fast. 11 is way to young to be responsible for 2 other people and luggage in an international airport.

Where I am from the second call would have been made to security and the third call would have been to child protective services. And yes they would have been very late to school the next morning.

[Baliezer]

Originally Posted by indygirl99

What bothers me is she was able to get enough information out of your daughter to get flight information and your husbands phone number to be able to call him and tell him she was concerned that they were alone. Instead of your daughter telling her you were in the bathroom changing her sisters diaper.

My daughter did tell her that. As did my husband when she called him.

[disneyfans95]

you cried? why would you cry?

holy stuff batman, stand up for yourself.. Why would you let some ticket agent bully you?

You are not going to get hauled off to some gov't torture chamber because you did the right thing..

Get the big girl panties on and stnad your ground..

Don't cry..

[dawnball]

Originally Posted by indygirl99

What bothers me is she was able to get enough information out of your daughter to get flight information and your husbands phone number to be able to call him and tell him she was concerned that they were alone. Instead of your daughter telling her you were in the bathroom changing her sisters diaper.

This alone speaks to the ability of your daughter to make decisions in an international airport that involves her and her siblings safety. It sounds like your daughter is expected to grow up to fast. 11 is way to young to be responsible for 2 other people and luggage in an international airport.

Where I am from the second call would have been made to security and the third call would have been to child protective services. And yes they would have been very late to school the next morning.

It's the timeline that gets me. In Reno, the bathrooms aren't really visible from the airline counters. They're down near baggage claim and rental cars. To see that there's a problem, go down and chat up the oldest girl, look up the flight information, call the husband, come all the way back... that's a long time to be in the bathroom.

And neither of the older girls made the decision that one of them ought to go into the bathroom and tell mom that someone was asking questions about where their parents were. I think part of the story is missing here.

[ksjayhawks]

Originally Posted by Iforgetmypassword

I agree. She was doing her job and looking out for your kids. Sorry that you felt humiliated and embarrassed, but looking back, I think I'd feel grateful that someone was concerned about the other girls.

Why would you ask your oldest child if you did anything wrong? I didn't put much faith in what my pre-teen kids thought. My husband's opinion matters more to me than what an 11-year old thought.

OP didn't ask her oldest child if she (OP) did anything wrong. She asked the chiild if they--the 3 girls left with the luggage--had done anything wrong.

OP, I think you are overreacting. The agent was doing her job, especially if they have a problem with children left alone so parents can gamble. also, you don't know for sure if your youngest did something that caught the agent or another employee's eye. I would probably have taken the 4 year old with me and left the older two outside. Though I do agree with a pp that it is worrysome that your dd gave so much information out to the agent.