Airplane Passenger Asks Mom To Take Her 3-Year-Old Daughter’s IPad Away During Flight Because Their Own Son Wasn’t Allowed To Use One
"That's simply not a reasonable request to make of a stranger.”
ellinnur bakarudin | Shutterstock During a two-hour flight, a mom and her 3-year-old daughter were quietly minding their own business on their electronics as a family across from them struggled to calm their son, who was desperate for some screen time.
Unfortunately, the mom of the upset toddler tried to put the responsibility of resolving his meltdown square on the shoulders of the mom, who had a happy daughter enjoying her iPad.
The passenger asked the mom if she could take her daughter’s iPad away since they weren’t allowing their son to use his.
In the AITA post, the mom explained the young boy, who appeared to be close to her daughter’s age, noticed her using her iPad and tried reaching for it. His mom told him to stop, which made him cry.
“My daughter and I both put on headphones and were just blocking it out,” the mom wrote. “The woman got my attention after a while and said that they weren't allowing their son to use his iPad on their vacation.”
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The woman asked the mom if it would be OK if she told her daughter to put her iPad away.
“I said I was sorry, but no,” the mom said. She understandably had the right to refuse this request, as no one but her can make decisions for her daughter.
“The kid cried most of the flight,” the mom said. “The parents kept shooting me dirty looks, which I just ignored.”
While it was admirable that the parents were making their son take a screen break, they also needed to brace themselves for the challenges this decision would pose. They should have taken into account other families having different rules, and they definitely should not have expected a stranger to comply with their own rules.
Reddit users agreed that families should plan activities for their toddlers on flights if they don’t allow screen time.
They argued that it was not the mom’s responsibility to cater to the family’s needs and that it would be unfair for her to strip her daughter of her electronic distractions during a flight for the sake of another toddler.
“If [the family] doesn't want their kid to use a tablet on their vacation, they need to be prepared for meltdowns like this while he develops the ability to understand that other people will have different rules and experiences than he will,” one person commented on the post. “I feel for them, I know how hard it is to travel with a cranky toddler, but that's simply not a reasonable request to make of a stranger.”
Reddit users also pointed out that iPads and electronics are not the only activities that can keep kids distracted. While the mom didn’t specify if the family was doing anything else to try and keep their son busy, his consistent crying throughout the flight suggested that they weren't.
“When traveling with young children, you have to be prepared with a variety of activities and snacks,” someone else commented. “If you don't want them to use an iPad then you better have something else to keep them occupied.”
Some ideas of other activities for toddlers to enjoy on a flight include giving them coloring books, small toys, and window clings.
Whether you choose to let your kids use electronics during flights or not, be considerate of the passengers around you.
Reddit users added how allowing kids to have unlimited screen time during long flights is an exception, as doing so keeps kids quiet, which is mindful and considerate of the other passengers in close proximity on a plane.
A study from 2023 found that while there can be both positive and negative effects of screen media, too much screen time can have detrimental impacts on language development and social and emotional growth. The study also found that excessive screen usage can cause a rise in obesity, sleep disorders, depression, and anxiety, and it can interfere with a child’s ability to manage their emotions and enhance aggression.
Another person shared their position on the matter, saying kids “need the lesson that they only get [electronics] sometimes (and definitely an entire plane trip if it keeps them happy), but not whenever they want for however long they want.”
“We had the … rule on flights with our kids: unlimited screen time,” another parent commented. “They also fully understood that this was ONLY allowed on planes, and during waiting time in airports — ALL other time was our usual limit (1 hour).”
A parent’s behavior and restrictions surrounding their child’s screen time determine how that child will respond to the absence of their electronic devices. If parents do allow their kids to use electronics from a young age, because of the impact these devices have on their minds, attention spans, and emotional states, parents must remain firm and clear on their rules.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, adventure, and spirituality topics.