Thoughts On Children Riding Public Transportation

Canada
March 17, 2018 5:52pm CST
This morning I saw a very disturbing story on HLN, in which a family was kicked off of a flight, because their toddler was fussy, and someone nearby was bothered by it. At this time I'm unable to remember the airline, but at this point, does it really matter? Those who know me know that i have extremely sensitive hearing, perfect pitch, and really don't "like" children. I am not saying i hate them, I'm just saying that i really don't have the patience to be around them for that long, or to raise my own. I'd go to the ends of the earth for my little nephew, but I still love giving him back to his Mama at the end of the day. That being said, if i were on the afore mentioned flight, I would have stood up with the family of the child, and if they were kicked off the plane, I would have gotten off with them. You know why? Because that toddler was probably just being a toddler, and I bet that family was doing their best. What about my sensitive hearing, you may ask? Simple. Headphones! I never leave home without them. If my flight is somehow incompatible with my iPhone, there's probably something in the in-flight entertainment I can enjoy. In 2007, I flew United Airlines from Toronto Ontario to Phoenix Arizona. I found a great playlist of "The Great American Songbook," pop standards from the 40's and 50's. It was so good, I'd actually consider flying United again, just to hear it. On the way home I flew US Airways, and they had an ABBA album. Another favourite of mine. When I flew Air Canada back to Phoenix, they had something by Michael Buble. I liked it so much, when I landed, I made my husband stop at Borders books, so I could buy myself a copy. To this day, when I hear that album in Canada, I want to go back to Arizona. As I write this, I'm sitting in a Guelph Ontario Coffee Shop. I got here abord a bus with a newborn wailing to my left, and a ticked off toddler whining on my right. I think they were attempting some kind of kid harmony, or something. I solved that problem with my headphones, and a Weavers Album. All four voices from Lee's bass to Ronnie's alto soothed my head, and took away all psychotic thoughts. LOL Of course with perfect pitch I was still aware of the children, and the fact that they were not in the same key as my music, but whatever. If I blocked out all outside noise, I wouldn't be able to hear traffic, and that would be dangerous. The point is, I fixed it so that I could cope with the inevitable. I'll be honest. The ONE time when a child would probably annoy me to the point of saying something to someone would be if that child was running around, and possibly causing me to trip over them. In that case, I'd look for the kid's guardian, and let them know that I can't see that well, and that I'm probably about to fall. That can not be helped. Even in that case, I'd still find a way to calmly deal with the problem. What the heck is with these people who can't handle something as natural as a child being a child? What would you do if you were about to see a family kicked off of a plane because of a fussy kid?
7 people like this
7 responses
• United States
17 Mar 18
I am not sure what I would do if I witnessed a family about to be kicked of a plane for any reason. It is difficult enough for a child to sit still for only a few minutes let alone a long plane ride. There should be an area specifically for families with children to keep them entertained.
3 people like this
• Canada
17 Mar 18
That is an excellent idea!!! I was toying with the idea of an "adults only" flight, but a family may need to make an Emergency trip somewhere, and that may not be feasible, so that idea is out. Your idea is much better!
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Mar 18
@danishcanadian adults only flights are a good idea too. However, I can't see a plane loaded with families with small children. LOL.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85531)
• United States
18 Mar 18
That would be so smart.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85531)
• United States
18 Mar 18
They'll probably be sued. More and more people have come out to defend parents with fussy children. I would have stood up for the family, but I wouldn't have walked off the flight. I read about one flight where there was a man who complained about a fussy child, and the other passengers gave him such a problem that HE got off the plane.
2 people like this
• Canada
18 Mar 18
Hooray for the passengers!!!!!! This whole increment has me so wound up, that I was actually quite well-prepared for something that happened in the lobby of my building, when I returned from my coffee. I wrote about it in my next post. LOL
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
18 Mar 18
Someone is about to get sued big time!
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Mar 18
Gee, I hope so!!!!!!!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
18 Mar 18
Once on a flight, there was a kid in the seat behind me and he was KICKING the seat. I told him several times to stop it and he kept KICKING HARDER and the mother sat there doing nothing. Finally I called the stewardess over and told her the problem. Do you know what the stewardess did? She made ME move to another seat. That was crap @danishcanadian . That kid's lucky I didn't whoop his butt; and I would have been happy to be thrown off the plane.
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Mar 18
That's a bloody outrage!!!!! This is definitely a case to throw the kid off the plane. The situations that disturb me are when kids are crying as kids do, and parents aren't even given a chance to calm them, If the parent is very obviously doing nothing, through the whole dang family off the plane!!!!!!!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
29 Mar 18
@danishcanadian Oh exactly. Today there is so much butt kissing it's ridiculous.
@Deepizzaguy (94581)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
17 Mar 18
As my late mother would say "Don't tell me you were born as an adult to have an attitude toward children like that?" We are not only kids once. Some airlines are starting to annoy me with their bad attitude with children that are not harming anyone.
1 person likes this
• Canada
18 Mar 18
Well put!!!! I had very strict parents who would firmly but fairly take control of a situation. They also raised me to understand that not all children are as well-behaved as I was raised to be.
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Mar 18
@Deepizzaguy They're not raising kids the way they used to. I guarantee, if I had a kid, s/he'd be raised the way my hubby and i were.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94581)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
19 Mar 18
@danishcanadian Same here.
1 person likes this
@Starmaiden (9311)
• Canada
18 Mar 18
The airline should have bumped off the complainer.
1 person likes this
• Canada
18 Mar 18
I couldn’t agree more!!!!!!!!
1 person likes this
@paigea (35701)
• Canada
18 Mar 18
Very well said. We can find ways to cope.
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Mar 18
Thanks! If the kid is just crying, I can drown him out. If he's kicking my seat or touching me, I'll stand up and say something. If the kid is crying, or kicking, and the parent is TRYING to control the situation, I'll gladly be more tolerant.
1 person likes this