So my daughter just had her first plane ride to Disney

[meggiebeth]

I do not understand why you're all now arguing about whether it's ok for children to fly when misbehaving. This was the OP's DD's first time flying and the OP had no idea this would happen. She didn't think 'Oh she is rubbish at flying but let's just take her anyway'.

That said, when we took the ten hour flight to Florida, I had a young boy sat infront of me. He kept banging the back of his seat (not pleasant when you're trying to eat), putting his hands all over my bags hug on the seat and even climbing over and breathing on my food. I didn't complain. I rolled my eyes, but what could I really do? Kids will be kids. He wasn't being badly behaved- he didn't realize what he was doing was annoying and what more do you expect from a 10 hour flight.

Actually I often find adults to be more annoying. They lean into your personal space, only really a problem when you are crammed into them when they are larger people. I was stuck with a guy swearing the whole flight and bickering with his friend. Cocky ones are even worse when they spend the whole flight jeering at eachother. And they know what they are doing is irritating to others, unlike children (usually)

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Peaseblossom]

bolding is mine....
sorry disagree here...parents can do so much. make alternate travel arrangements that don't affect others (i.e. car travel)...she can scream in a car where only they have to hear it. Don't want to listen to it yourself, find someone else to watch the child at home or don't go. I think we are seeing that 'ME' generation entering parenthood! Let everyone else on a plane suffer so WE can travel in peace. Doesn't get more self-centered than that!
Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

I hear you, I do. But it's not always a flight to Orlando for Disney. Sometimes, it's a trip home for a funeral, or just your one chance for family to be together when time off work is limited.

Are they the 'ME' generation, or are people who can't bear the sight /sound / smell of a baby for a couple of hours the 'ME' generation? I'm no saint, but holy heck... maybe babies should go in the cargo hold with dogs and snow globes?

Ha, how ironic, I have Christmas carols playing in the background and "Away in a Manger" just came on. Maybe we could all stand a dose of compassion?

 

[KrazeeK120]

I hear you, I do. But it's not always a flight to Orlando for Disney. Sometimes, it's a trip home for a funeral, or just your one chance for family to be together when time off work is limited.

Are they the 'ME' generation, or are people who can't bear the sight /sound / smell of a baby for a couple of hours the 'ME' generation? I'm no saint, but holy heck... maybe babies should go in the cargo hold with dogs and snow globes?

Ha, how ironic, I have Christmas carols playing in the background and "Away in a Manger" just came on. Maybe we could all stand a dose of compassion?

There's a difference between the sight/sound/smell of a baby and a child kicking and screaming for hours straight. The story about the family who was driving but stuck their 1 year old who doesn't travel well with the grandparents, subjecting the entire plane to the bad behavior...yeah, that's rude.

And I get that there are instances where flying is necessary (family gathering, wedding, funeral...) and I'm sure there are many with family in the Orlando area. But I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of families on flights to Orlando are going there to visit one or some of the Orlando area attractions.

I agree with those who say that if the child isn't ready to fly, wait until he/she is ready. Disney, Universal, and Sea World will be there in a couple of years when the child is old enough to handle traveling. Two kicks to my seat probably wouldn't bug me, but more than that would start to get irritating.

 

[manhattanman]

I agree with those who say that if the child isn't ready to fly, wait until he/she is ready. Disney, Universal, and Sea World will be there in a couple of years when the child is old enough to handle traveling. Two kicks to my seat probably wouldn't bug me, but more than that would start to get irritating.

From the op's post this was the first flight,how cold she know whether the child is ready or not? Also anyone with kids knows that there are tons of variables, a situation on one day might go swimmingly and the same situation under slightly different circumstances and it is a train wreck.

Kids are kids, not little adults. A kid kicking the seat might not know how it affects the person but an adult who sneers or yells at a kid should know better.

 

[aubriee]

Holy Moley!!! Me being me, I would have probably asked good old grandma how she though the rest of her fellow fliers felt about her decision.

Grandma's a masochist! No way I'd take that kid on a nice vavation with me.

What a shame the pilot didn't have to listen to it while the plane was being loaded and warned the grandmother to get her under control or she would be removed. This is a perfect example of the type of situation that SHOULD be removed from the plane. An entire flight should not be disrupted because of one child. Sorry, just not a reasonable expectation. Take them in the car with YOU or don't go. Your problem to be miserable not the rest of the public's.


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

Oh, something I forgot in my previous post: the GM didn't actually tell us, but the impression I got is that the little girl might have been autistic. She looked normal, but something just seemed a little off about her. Neither of her grandparents could console her and she fought both of them the entire flight. The grandmother mentioned several times that she hated to be touched, by anyone except her mother.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Oh, something I forgot in my previous post: the GM didn't actually tell us, but the impression I got is that the little girl might have been autistic. She looked normal, but something just seemed a little off about her. Neither of her grandparents could console her and she fought both of them the entire flight. The grandmother mentioned several times that she hated to be touched, by anyone except her mother.

All the more reason not to stick her with the GM for a long plane ride . . .

 

[stitchlovestink]

I hear you, I do. But it's not always a flight to Orlando for Disney. Sometimes, it's a trip home for a funeral, or just your one chance for family to be together when time off work is limited.

Are they the 'ME' generation, or are people who can't bear the sight /sound / smell of a baby for a couple of hours the 'ME' generation? I'm no saint, but holy heck... maybe babies should go in the cargo hold with dogs and snow globes?

Ha, how ironic, I have Christmas carols playing in the background and "Away in a Manger" just came on. Maybe we could all stand a dose of compassion?

Oh, something I forgot in my previous post: the GM didn't actually tell us, but the impression I got is that the little girl might have been autistic. She looked normal, but something just seemed a little off about her. Neither of her grandparents could console her and she fought both of them the entire flight. The grandmother mentioned several times that she hated to be touched, by anyone except her mother.

I am clearly not a medical expert but I didn't think that they diagnosed autism in babies. I have a dear friend who has a child (now young adult that I have followed thru with her from birth) that is profoundly 'challenged' with multiple diagnosis from Kennedy Kreiger in Baltimore (a very well known Children's hospital for mental disabilities as well as physical diabilities) and one of his is autism. And I guess I am used to the fact that she thinks of others as much as herself. She thinks of how those around her will be impacted and plans accordingly. If it's something that 'he' can't handle, they make alternate arrangements for him. They do 'try' things, but they don't put him in a situation that they can't get out of. I think these parents were extremely inconsiderate and self centered. Sorry, that's my opinion and I'm entitled to it. If they really want to go that bad, take her in the car and deal with her screaming. It is NOT fair to subject 130ish other people to that for 2ish or more hours, autisic or not. My heart breaks for children with any disability but the adults caring for them have to assume the responsibility not to put them in those types of stress inducing situations and that is what they did. They put her in a stress inducing situation where she didn't want to be touched and especially by someone other than her mother and for an extended period of time. It's wasn't fair to the child either, now was it??

 

[maxiesmom]

From the op's post this was the first flight,how cold she know whether the child is ready or not? Also anyone with kids knows that there are tons of variables, a situation on one day might go swimmingly and the same situation under slightly different circumstances and it is a train wreck.

Kids are kids, not little adults. A kid kicking the seat might not know how it affects the person but an adult who sneers or yells at a kid should know better.

Even if the child doesn't know any better the adult along with them should. That is why it is up to them to control any bad behavior that may pop up. Or do damage control. Maybe offer to buy the person ahead of them a drink, if their seat is getting kicked?

Try to remember too that how each person would react to being kicked may depend on the day. You don't know that that person didn't feel well, had a horrible day, and reacted out of character for them as well. If we are quick to excuse the bad behavior, why can't we also excuse a glare and a call to the FA? Seems some would rather blame the victim. Maybe they too were having a challenging day.

 

[manhattanman]

Even if the child doesn't know any better the adult along with them should. That is why it is up to them to control any bad behavior that may pop up. Or do damage control. Maybe offer to buy the person ahead of them a drink, if their seat is getting kicked?

Try to remember too that how each person would react to being kicked may depend on the day. You don't know that that person didn't feel well, had a horrible day, and reacted out of character for them as well. If we are quick to excuse the bad behavior, why can't we also excuse a glare and a call to the FA? Seems some would rather blame the victim. Maybe they too were having a challenging day.

Yeah if only it were like the old days, the gm should have throttled the kid right there in front of everybody so that those 130 people arent inconvenienced. perhaps you could have lecturered the parent in front of everyone with innuendo that she is a bad guardian and unsolicited advicevon how to raise kids ( because I m sure your kids are absolute angels who never, ever did anything similar). I mean the gm should have stuffed the kid in the overhead compartment to muffle the wails so that people on th plane can get back to enjoying the edited for content movie "marmaduke".

Being part of society doesnt mean that you are never going to be offended, even if you buy a plane ticket. Adults annoy me far more than screaming kids do because their actions are voluntary. you want to be guaranteed that you wont have to have any intepersonal interactions when you travl, buy a private jet. If not suck it up nd accept it as the cost of being a member of society. And once it started its not like the gm could get up and leave like she could in a theater or a restaurant.

Im just wondering who is the most entitled, the gm or the people who think they have some unlienable right not to be annoyed or inconvenienced. Do these people scream obscenities at the woman attempting to change a tire in the rain because she had the temerity to dive a car with 100000 miles on the tires because it backs up traffic and makes them late ? Or do they just catch her eye and sneer at her as they pass by? Does she not realize that her poor choices are going to make me 5 minutes late ? The nerve!

What ever happened to compassion and understanding ?

 

[manhattanman]

Try to remember too that how each person would react to being kicked may depend on the day. You don't know that that person didn't feel well, had a horrible day, and reacted out of character for them as well. If we are quick to excuse the bad behavior, why can't we also excuse a glare and a call to the FA? Seems some would rather blame the victim. Maybe they too were having a challenging day.

Because one is an adult. If it was not a kid but an adult with developmental or intellectual challenges, do you still sneer ? You are afterall inconvenienced the same amount.

 

[North of Mouse]

( because I m sure your kids are absolute angels who never, ever did anything similar). you want to be guaranteed that you wont have to have any intepersonal interactions when you travl, buy a private jet. If not suck it up nd accept it as the cost of being a member of society.

Why does someone always like to say that parents that raise their children to behave get that statement slammed at them?

I raised 3 children (so all were three at one time), and yes, we flew, but we *never* let them disrupt others lives. Were they perfect? Absolutely not, but with *consistent* discipline (not beatings, or abuse as some would love to call it) they learned their boundaries and what was expected of them. In fact, we usually didn't have to raise our voices, because we didn't throw out empty threats, but our *no* and *yes* meant just that.

They were happy children because they had boundaries and lots of love and interactions from us. They were not brow beaten.

Sorry, but I can't see the OP never had any problems with her child not wanting to ride in a car seat, or ride in a shopping cart, or whatever situation that required her to be restrained and behave herself. So, before her first plane ride she would have had a *clue* on what her behavior might be.

Also 2 kicks (the OP's words) would *not* make someone call over a FA. Would love to have the woman's *take* on this as well. Seems like from what the OP herself said that this was a *constant*. Why else fight with holding down her legs to *keep* her from kicking the seat??

And for those that say a 3 year old is not responsible or can not comprehend - sorry, from experience I will not buy that - if they are consistently shown their behavior they do know right from wrong.

Just coming back for WDW and being around so many children that the parents would not control, I wish I could have a $1 for all the *empty* threats and consequences given to children that the parent and child *knew* would not be carried out. Like one parent - "If you throw your new stuffed animal on the ground one more time, I'm returning it back to the gift shop" Duh! She did it, glaring at the mother who looked away. Another often heard, "If you don't quit whining, throwing a fit, we're going back to the hotel, right now." Duh, another empty threat!

Sorry, this is long, but I get sick and tired of children being excused for terrible behavior that's the parents fault.

So, no, I will not tolerate being kicked in the seat constantly on a long flight.

OP doesn't say anywhere that the woman *yelled* or *sneered* at her child as some have said. A *glare* is a hard look, and I've done that a few times in *ride lines* when I've been constantly bumped, kicked while the parents ignore, and most of the time the child quits - I tolerate it a long time and try to move out of the way, before the hard look though (this happened several times, but was especially bad with three girls about 4,6,8 in the TSM line. The Mom and g'mother were having a great time talking and ignoring them.

 

[manhattanman]

Why does someone always like to say that parents that raise their children to behave get that statement slammed at them?

Perhaps because air travel is still public and you don't get to set the limits of propriety for others in order to maximize your own comfort ?

Living in a society means that you will sometimes have unpleasant interactions with other people, that's simply the inherant and unavoidable cost. Suggesting that this cost in not unavoidable and that everything would be peachy if everyone only conformed to one's personal social moores, makes one come off ( if you don't mid me saying) as having an astonishing sense of entitlement. But that's just me.

 

[manhattanman]

So, no, I will not tolerate being kicked in the seat constantly on a long flight.

I'm very interested in this, in the situation what would you do ? The kid has no where to go and if there are no other seats, neither do you. What would you propose to do when, as a stranger on a plane, you have ZERO influence over the actions of someone else's child ?

 

[ttintagel]

I'm very interested in this, in the situation what would you do ? The kid has no where to go and if there are no other seats, neither do you. What would you propose to do when, as a stranger on a plane, you have ZERO influence over the actions of someone else's child ?

I read an article a while back proposing a system whereby parents' credit cards are charged an extra fee by the airline if they refuse to address their children's disruptive behavior after being asked to by the flight attendant. If they put that into place, I would exclusively fly that airline for the rest of my life.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yeah if only it were like the old days, the gm should have throttled the kid right there in front of everybody so that those 130 people arent inconvenienced. perhaps you could have lecturered the parent in front of everyone with innuendo that she is a bad guardian and unsolicited advicevon how to raise kids ( because I m sure your kids are absolute angels who never, ever did anything similar). I mean the gm should have stuffed the kid in the overhead compartment to muffle the wails so that people on th plane can get back to enjoying the edited for content movie "marmaduke".

Being part of society doesnt mean that you are never going to be offended, even if you buy a plane ticket. Adults annoy me far more than screaming kids do because their actions are voluntary. you want to be guaranteed that you wont have to have any intepersonal interactions when you travl, buy a private jet. If not suck it up nd accept it as the cost of being a member of society. And once it started its not like the gm could get up and leave like she could in a theater or a restaurant.

Im just wondering who is the most entitled, the gm or the people who think they have some unlienable right not to be annoyed or inconvenienced. Do these people scream obscenities at the woman attempting to change a tire in the rain because she had the temerity to dive a car with 100000 miles on the tires because it backs up traffic and makes them late ? Or do they just catch her eye and sneer at her as they pass by? Does she not realize that her poor choices are going to make me 5 minutes late ? The nerve!

What ever happened to compassion and understanding ?

I think you're mixing up stories. The OP's story (which Maxiesmom mentioned) was a 3yo kicking the seat in front of them. There was a later post regarding a grandmother with a screaming 1yo.

Near as I can tell, the 3yo was on her first plane ride. There was no way to predict how she would act. On the other hand, the 1yo apparently screamed no matter the transportation. The 1yo's family was wrong, IMO, to even attempt to put her on a plane. Yes, THEY should suffer with her in a car for 22 hours (or not go). The 3yo's family was not wrong to fly, but should have (and sounds like they did) take steps to try to eliminate the kicking.

 

[sam_gordon]

I read an article a while back proposing a system whereby parents' credit cards are charged an extra fee by the airline if they refuse to address their children's disruptive behavior after being asked to by the flight attendant. If they put that into place, I would exclusively fly that airline for the rest of my life.

I think that would be great for ANY passenger, regardless of age. If a FA needs to be contacted because someone is disruptive, they get one warning. If the FA needs to come back, charge them.

 

[DSLRuser]

my take is this. I am not trying to say i am a super parent. this is just how we do it.

A plane ride is no different than a car ride. If you let your kids kick the seat in front of you in the car, then at that age they will do it in a plane.

We flew 5 hours to Jamaica this year with my 2 daughters 5 and 11. not a single wimper. In fact the gentelman in front of us turned around to thank us for having such well behaved kids.

Why.

#1 is because both my kids have had multiple plane rides starting at age 9 months. so it was not new to them.

#2 is most important. my kids know what is expected of them at all times. if they dont meet those expectations. they know what happenes. If that were my kid acting like that. i would have picked her up, taken her to the bathroom and talked to her and let her know how to behave. if she continued to act up, we would go to the back of the plane.

#3 have you kids keep there own carry on. let them pack it. ask, you will be sitting in a plane for 3 hours. what do you need to keep you busy. gives them some controll. makes them responsable for their own actions.

 

[ttintagel]

I think that would be great for ANY passenger, regardless of age. If a FA needs to be contacted because someone is disruptive, they get one warning. If the FA needs to come back, charge them.

Absolutely. The majority of adults will usually choose to adjust their own behavior, though, as opposed to parents. (I do say, "usually," though; I've met my share of adults who won't!)

 

[manhattanman]

I think you're mixing up stories. The OP's story (which Maxiesmom mentioned) was a 3yo kicking the seat in front of them. There was a later post regarding a grandmother with a screaming 1yo..

A screaming one year old, who would have guessed ? Because the girl, who was apparently inconsolable is really just screaming her head off to secretly ruin all of the the other people's vacations. I'm sure they had it all planned in advance.

Holding crying against a one year old is tatamount to blaming the birds for singing.

 

[ZoeBell]

A screaming one year old, who would have guessed ? Because the girl, who was apparently inconsolable is really just screaming her head off to secretly ruin all of the the other people's vacations. I'm sure they had it all planned in advance.

Holding crying against a one year old is tatamount to blaming the birds for singing.

Exactly. It isn't fun for any 1 year old to scream and cry. It's exhausting for everyone. Including the child. Having daggers thrown your way when you already feel terrible just makes the situation that much worse.

When I see a young child screaming and carrying on, instead of giving them the stare of disgust and the head shake of righteousness...I'll give them an "oh honey, I understand . Been there done that"