Boarding an airplane with kids and babies in tow can be a nerve-racking experience for many parents. One mom on a long international flight earned praise when she gave out earplugs to the entire plane—but was that really necessary?
A mom traveling with her four-month-old baby from Seoul, South Korea to San Francisco passed out 200 tiny care packages filled with ear plugs, candy and note that read, “Today, I am going to the U.S. with my mom and grandma to see my aunt,” the note read, as if it were from the baby. “I’m a little bit nervous and scary (sic) because it’s my first flight in my life, which means that I may cry or make too much noise. I will try to go quietly, though I can’t make any promises… Please excuse me.”
Facebook user Dave Corona, a fellow passenger on the flight, shared pictures of the package in a post which quickly went viral. The gesture was incredibly kind and thoughtful, gaining plenty of praise by commenters on the post. But at the same time, as many commenters also pointed out, the mom’s gesture was entirely unnecessary.
One Facebook user commented, “That was a nice gesture, but I think people need to be more understanding on flights and not make parents and their children feel so ‘unwelcome’ on flights. We were all babies at one point in life.”
It’s one thing to be aware of others, but babies and kids have to travel just like adults. Parents shouldn’t have to fear flying just because they have kids in tow—nor should they feel like they have to go above and beyond to make accommodations for other passengers.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
Featured photo: Suhyeon Choi via Unsplash
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