I have two kids. I am VERY contientious of people around me in public in making sure my kids don't disturb adults. As a result, I avoid putting them on a plane. But sometimes you simply can't avoid it ... (funeral, family emergency, etc)

One such time, my children got sick a few days before the flight. Then, at the airport, they got really bad diarrhea and the plane was delayed for 6 hours at O'hare on a connecting flight. When the plane finally took off, the crew informed the passengers the bathroom was closed due to maintenance issues.

My normally well-behaved children screamed most of the way home as the pressure changes wrecked havoc on their inflamed sinuses -- and a 5 year-old doesn't understand: "You'll just have to hold it" when they have upset stomachs.

When my wife got off the plane with them, she completely broke down in my arms (I wasn't on the flight with them) and she didn't settle down for at least 20 minutes. When she got control of her emotions, she mentioned everyone on the plane probably hated her.

Point of all this: If you can, try to give people with kids the benefit of the doubt. They might be far more unhappy with the situation than you are.

coxinha:
I don't get why there isn't an airline that offers families-only flights. Sure, it would a guaranteed flight full of screaming and crying, but at least you;d know everyone on the plane knew what they were getting into.

So let 'em crash?

Mr Rusty Shackleford: ihatedumbpeople: As a parent that will be flying this weekend with a 5 year old (who will be good for sure) and a 1 year old (questionable at best), I'm getting a kick out of these replies.

/i'll bribe people around me with free booze.

You'll do fine. Luckily for you, even if things get a bit hairy for a few minutes, the mouth breathing cowards you see in threads like this just don't tend to exist in the real world. If they do, they sure seem to know when to keep their mouth shut.

Oh yeah...most people won't do anything, those that do seldom do more than an eye roll or something.

uncletogie: ihatedumbpeople: /i'll bribe people around me with free booze.

Now THAT is a plan, if you're serious.

Nice to see a parent with consideration for the folks around 'em. Classy.

Yeah, I'll leave a restaurant if the youngin' starts acting up. "hon, get my stuff to go". The 5 year old is very well behaved, but a 1 year old has a mind of its own.

schattenteufel: or the Blue Collar Comedy Retards

i'm pretty sure even inbred rednecks find that stuff herp a derp moranic

who is keeping these people in business??? politics-tab farkers?!

i've said it many times before, but airplanes are big enough that they could set aside a 'crying room' like they have in movie theatres. a nice quiet, walled off area where children could be soothed, maybe have some toys. plus a not-bad place for women to breast-feed children. how much space would it take? maybe a couple rows of seats (and approx 780 Billion dollars in bailout funds after they collapse)

Luckily, if anyone deserves a 6 hour flight with screaming babies it's Bob Saget. May this 10th circle of Hell be reserved for him for all eternity.

ihatedumbpeople: uncletogie: ihatedumbpeople: /i'll bribe people around me with free booze.

Now THAT is a plan, if you're serious.

Nice to see a parent with consideration for the folks around 'em. Classy.

Yeah, I'll leave a restaurant if the youngin' starts acting up. "hon, get my stuff to go". The 5 year old is very well behaved, but a 1 year old has a mind of its own.

Same here. M'boys learned early on {around age 3} that acting up means they sit in the car with a grumpy Daddy. That didn't take long at ALL. To this day, people comment on how well-behaved they both are.

ALMOST as bad as the 45 minutes I spent enduring a Bob Saget set at the Laugh Factory.

I drunk what: schattenteufel: or the Blue Collar Comedy Retards

i'm pretty sure even inbred rednecks find that stuff herp a derp moranic

who is keeping these people in business??? politics-tab farkers?!

I don't know, but they, along with homeopathic people, should get in the farking sack (new window, funny).

Kids do that crap sometimes. The real asshole is the guy w/ the cowbell. Toss that farker off the plane w/ no parachute!

you really dont know how your child is going to react to a new situation until you get there.

my daughter is great with me but turns into an imp with strangers. she really really reaaaallly doesnt like new people. id have to stock up on motrin (for both of us!) if i ever even thought about taking her on a flight.

taking them on the Disney Cruise next year. the disney cruise goes to its OWN ISLAND. so it should be cool.

do most of my shopping online. only travel via amtrak. as a parent you have to always have a strategy. cant just go out all willy nilly.

baby cries dont bother me, i can tune them out. its the adult bellyaching over stupid shiat that i cant get with.

Liberally1337: *thumbs through pages* Hmm. Nope. I don't see "The Right To Not Be Annoyed" anywhere. Suck it up, you big babies.

LOUD NOISES!

/flies with kids
//has no pity for your sensitive wittle eaws

The next time you fly anywhere, I'm buying vuvuzelas & crystal meth for everyone on board (except you & your loud little rugrats)

Noobian Noob: you really dont know how your child is going to react to a new situation until you get there.

my daughter is great with me but turns into an imp with strangers. she really really reaaaallly doesnt like new people. id have to stock up on motrin (for both of us!) if i ever even thought about taking her on a flight.

taking them on the Disney Cruise next year. the disney cruise goes to its OWN ISLAND. so it should be cool.

do most of my shopping online. only travel via amtrak. as a parent you have to always have a strategy. cant just go out all willy nilly.

baby cries dont bother me, i can tune them out. its the adult bellyaching over stupid shiat that i cant get with.

I gotta ask: Is she home-schooled, under 5 years of age, or just not properly socialized?

Blink: I have two kids. I am VERY contientious of people around me in public in making sure my kids don't disturb adults. As a result, I avoid putting them on a plane. But sometimes you simply can't avoid it ... (funeral, family emergency, etc)

One such time, my children got sick a few days before the flight. Then, at the airport, they got really bad diarrhea and the plane was delayed for 6 hours at O'hare on a connecting flight. When the plane finally took off, the crew informed the passengers the bathroom was closed due to maintenance issues.

My normally well-behaved children screamed most of the way home as the pressure changes wrecked havoc on their inflamed sinuses -- and a 5 year-old doesn't understand: "You'll just have to hold it" when they have upset stomachs.

When my wife got off the plane with them, she completely broke down in my arms (I wasn't on the flight with them) and she didn't settle down for at least 20 minutes. When she got control of her emotions, she mentioned everyone on the plane probably hated her.

Point of all this: If you can, try to give people with kids the benefit of the doubt. They might be far more unhappy with the situation than you are.

awwwww

/something in my eye

hazeleyedwolff: Well Bob Saget should fly his happy ass business class.

I don't know if you watched the video but he is in business class. 2 seats per side and they are wider than a normal person's shoulders. That and free drinks is what business class is.

dead_dangler: I have two children and heartily support the "no babies on planes" policy.

You decide to have a kid? No flights or dinners in fancy restaurants for you until your child can behave himself and not annoy everyone around you.

Ah yes, because a baby crying has everything to do with your ability to parent. A baby with good parents never cries.

uncletogie: Noobian Noob: you really dont know how your child is going to react to a new situation until you get there.

my daughter is great with me but turns into an imp with strangers. she really really reaaaallly doesnt like new people. id have to stock up on motrin (for both of us!) if i ever even thought about taking her on a flight.

taking them on the Disney Cruise next year. the disney cruise goes to its OWN ISLAND. so it should be cool.

do most of my shopping online. only travel via amtrak. as a parent you have to always have a strategy. cant just go out all willy nilly.

baby cries dont bother me, i can tune them out. its the adult bellyaching over stupid shiat that i cant get with.

I gotta ask: Is she home-schooled, under 5 years of age, or just not properly socialized?

she turned 1 in july. try as they may, she simply does not like people. im hoping she will grow out of it eventually.

As much as I would LOVE planes that banned children (as well as malls, restaurants, and apartment complexes) I don't see it ever happening in the US. It would be a huge shiatfest in the media and the courts, and no airline is going to want to deal with it. People have to use planes anyway, there really isn't getting around it, so the airlines know people have to put up with the screaming little monsters or they can't get to where they are going.

As a father who has flown with my daughter when she was both 1 and 4 years old I am getting a kick out of these replies, and she quietly got a kick out of my Bose headphones while watching Disney movies the whole flight. Yes, it works.

No, I don't care for inconsiderate parents.

Yes, I believe that well-behaved children should be allowed to fly.

That said... for those of you that seem to forget that kids are growing people...

Link (new window)

Read this and tell me you don't feel like a jackass.

/love my kid

Blink: I have two kids. I am VERY contientious of people around me in public in making sure my kids don't disturb adults. As a result, I avoid putting them on a plane. But sometimes you simply can't avoid it ... (funeral, family emergency, etc)

One such time, my children got sick a few days before the flight. Then, at the airport, they got really bad diarrhea and the plane was delayed for 6 hours at O'hare on a connecting flight. When the plane finally took off, the crew informed the passengers the bathroom was closed due to maintenance issues.

My normally well-behaved children screamed most of the way home as the pressure changes wrecked havoc on their inflamed sinuses -- and a 5 year-old doesn't understand: "You'll just have to hold it" when they have upset stomachs.

When my wife got off the plane with them, she completely broke down in my arms (I wasn't on the flight with them) and she didn't settle down for at least 20 minutes. When she got control of her emotions, she mentioned everyone on the plane probably hated her.

Point of all this: If you can, try to give people with kids the benefit of the doubt. They might be far more unhappy with the situation than you are.

She was right you know, I've never gotten off a cross country flight with an annoying kid sitting near me with anything but loathing for the parents that can't or won't control their children.

Noobian Noob: she turned 1 in july. try as they may, she simply does not like people. im hoping she will grow out of it eventually

What have ya tried so far for socialization techniques?

Because parents don't seem to know this, I'm just going to restate. This works. It really does. And it's safe too. It relieves the pressure of the flight, makes the kids woozy and drowsy and more than likely makes them fall asleep. For the love of all that is holy, PLEASE pack this with the kids stuff for future flights.

Itchy92: It's an unfortunate part of life that sometimes children cry, and sometimes the most rational, civil thing to do is just deal with it or block it out.

The civil thing would be to avoid bringing a screaming child onto an aircraft.


Itchy92: I just have a decent set of in-ears that are good enough to distract me from whatever other noises are going on in the plane. But then I travel every week, and have pretty much conditioned myself to lose consciousness from takeoff to touchdown. Also, I think the entire process of flying is so horrendously unpleasant and awful that the occasional crying baby is the least of my worries.

Then you're lucky in that you can block it out and doze off. Some of us aren't like that. I wish I were, but I'm not.

I traveled several times a week for business. I got all of the noise canceling gadgets and learned to avoid specific flight times and destinations (like Anaheim/Disneyland). Didn't matter. Never went a single week without having a screamer nearby.

I tried the in-ear headphones, but eventually I couldn't use anything that created a hard seal without it hurting my ears. The spongy foam ones don't work for jack. Eventually I just quit my job. Travel sucks because of kids and a hundred other reasons. Much happier now, but I dread the few times a year I do fly. About 2/3rds of those flights make me regret stepping onto that aircraft.

Itchy92: cmb53208: I like the idea of the airlines offering child-free flights. I'd pay more for a ticket to have the luxury of no screaming kids.

No you wouldn't. You may think you would, but you wouldn't. Because the airline would have to restrict certain flights to people with children, or add more flights, which will certainly never happen. Either way, the additional cost to operate kid-free flights would be way more than anyone is willing to pay. Just upgrade to business/first class if it bothers you that much, or buy a good set of headphones and shut the fark up.

I don't like children in public places, either, but I also think some of you hip douches hate waaay too much on people with kids.

I hate children but yeah, I wouldn't pay extra to fly no kids. Flights cost too farking much as it is and even if you subtract the odd noisy child the entire experience would still suck ass.

ranfour: scavenger: I was on a flight to Miami once, and this baby wouldn't stop crying, so I killed it.

That wasn't a chicken, Hawkeye...

+1 for MASH reference

tomcatadam: EdNortonsTwin: We were all babies once you Saget.

And your parents may or may not have been jerks (as in, may or may not have brought you on the plane) and you may or may not have been an exceptionally whiny child.

People are auto jerks for bringing a kid on a plane? So they should be damned to drive cross-country, eh? Suuuure!

You never know what's going to happen with a child on a plane. I've flown twice with my infant and she was pretty quiet 90% of the time. However there were moments when she was upset and was probably not feeling so great becuase of the pressure changes. Two rows back was a little asian boy who, despite all attemps by the mother (and others), was just a screaming little demon from hell the entire flight. I'd have no problem with working out a program that puts parents and kids in the back of the plane, but if these things were practical you'd see it a lot more.

Anyway, I had to approach the two incredibly patient men (looked like foot ball players bythe way) who sat in the row in front of that kicking and screaming child from hades, and directly behind us. They were samwiched in-between two screaming children for the last 20 minutes of our flight. They were clearly worked over. I won't go in to detail about how I complimented them for being true-gentleman during the flight. They were very gracious about the whole thing and I like to think I lifted them a bit out of their stooper by honoring them in front of everyone in bagage pick-up. Fact is, they were clearly more noble than many of the people in this thread.

We try to time the flights around our daughters naps, and did bring childrens Tylenol just in-case (just in case I needed it too), but life can be a mixed-bag. You never know.

If you fly, buy noise reducing headphones. I'm do for a replacement set myself.

vikingfan73: As a father who has flown with my daughter when she was both 1 and 4 years old I am getting a kick out of these replies,

Flying must be difficult enough for a kid...doing it while you're coming unstuck in time has to be hell :D

I've been lucky with my 1 year old so far. The only two times so far that I've had to raise my voice to him was to say, "Let go of the cat's tail" and "stop peeing on your mother".

Of course, I was only serious about the cat one.

Noobian Noob: uncletogie: Noobian Noob: you really dont know how your child is going to react to a new situation until you get there.

my daughter is great with me but turns into an imp with strangers. she really really reaaaallly doesnt like new people. id have to stock up on motrin (for both of us!) if i ever even thought about taking her on a flight.

taking them on the Disney Cruise next year. the disney cruise goes to its OWN ISLAND. so it should be cool.

do most of my shopping online. only travel via amtrak. as a parent you have to always have a strategy. cant just go out all willy nilly.

baby cries dont bother me, i can tune them out. its the adult bellyaching over stupid shiat that i cant get with.

I gotta ask: Is she home-schooled, under 5 years of age, or just not properly socialized?

she turned 1 in july. try as they may, she simply does not like people. im hoping she will grow out of it eventually.

Why would you take a toddler to a cruise or any other theme park? I hope you have older kids you're just entertaining because trust me, she's not going to care until she's 5 or so.

/I went to Disney Land at age 3
//I weirdly have very vivid memories of that trip
///but my parents were able to take me places, they dropped my sister off at my grandmother's house on the way to the park.

EdNortonsTwin: You never know what's going to happen with a child on a plane. I've flown twice with my infant and she was pretty quiet 90% of the time. However there were moments when she was upset and was probably not feeling so great becuase of the pressure changes.

You keep her up/wake her early so she was yawning a lot on the flight, or did you forget that step?

Well hell...I used to get angry over screaming kids but how about a little sympathy here.
It sucks big time, yes but it's not like parents with kids choose where to sit or have much control over a newborn babies behavior. The majority of the parents I see travelling with babies seem extremely stressed and aware of the noise coming from their child.
I'd love to see a way to keep families in a designated area on a plane. Something that benefits both types of travelers.

hailin: Seriously, the most expensive headphones in the world wouldn't drown out that cowbell noise without also shattering your eardrums. I don't care too much about kids on a flight, but after 6 hours of that I'd have punched the mom before leaving the flight. How extremely rude and annoying that woman is for letting her child be that damn loud on a flight. She should be banned from all future flights.

I have "noise-canceling" headphones and they do not stop the noise that seeps in through your skull, only the noise that comes in through your ears. They help, but ya, you have to turn them up REALLY loud to drown out screaming children.

uncletogie: EdNortonsTwin: You never know what's going to happen with a child on a plane. I've flown twice with my infant and she was pretty quiet 90% of the time. However there were moments when she was upset and was probably not feeling so great becuase of the pressure changes.

You keep her up/wake her early so she was yawning a lot on the flight, or did you forget that step?

She slept most of the flight after take off and she woke before the descent. Sometimes kids want to squirm. Children suck on pacifiers in their sleep; that balances the pressure in their little heads.

litespeed74: Well hell...I used to get angry over screaming kids but how about a little sympathy here.
It sucks big time, yes but it's not like parents with kids choose where to sit or have much control over a newborn babies behavior. The majority of the parents I see travelling with babies seem extremely stressed and aware of the noise coming from their child.
I'd love to see a way to keep families in a designated area on a plane. Something that benefits both types of travelers.

In other words, you don't have kids, right?

uncletogie: Noobian Noob: she turned 1 in july. try as they may, she simply does not like people. im hoping she will grow out of it eventually

What have ya tried so far for socialization techniques?

well she does go to the babysitter--i had to get her a new one bc her and the first one "didnt get along", if you can imagine that.

ive taken her to group classes at gymboree (which she HATED!!) and ive spoken to the pediatrician about it.

apparently its just her personality and i shouldnt force her on to other people. she'll either grow out of it or have only a small number of ppl to interact with.

she's a cancer and cancer's are known to be clingy, crabby and homebodies so i just let her be. she's only 1 and no one is the same as they were at 1.

ShadowkahnCRX: Itchy92:
There's only so much a parent can do.


For what it's worth, I don't have kids or want kids. But I also don't automatically think that everyone who does is some sort of slack-jawed, simpleton imbecile who is a blight on our species.

Neither do I. But the "there's only so much a parent can do" line is crap. The parent can remove the kid from the situation. And if it's on a plane, then the parent can not take the kid on the plane until he's absolutely sure that the kid can handle being on the plane without pissing off the rest of the passengers.

What people are really saying when they say "there's only so much a parent can do" is "there's only so much a parent can do without inconveniencing the parent."

And that attitude, is a load of crap.

No. What's a load of crap is the attitude of, "I am traversing the entire continent in five farking hours. My measly $300 ticket means that I am somehow superior to a parent who also paid $300 a ticket to take their young child somewhere. This parent should be ashamed of letting their child mildly annoy me in a situation where most normal people can simply *ignore* the problem; in fact, they should just stay the fark home for the next three years, regardless of whatever reason they may to need to travel. Or, those second-class citizens can take a train and spend exponentially longer in transit for the same (or greater) cost. Bottom line, these people should facilitate my desire to not be mildly annoyed."

I've sat near crying children. It's not enjoyable. But the experience was not so upsetting that I wanted to ban children from flying, or throw some temper tantrum at their parents for not shutting up the kid. I flipped through my magazine, listened to my music, and simply ignored it.

And considering that cmb53208 actually used the term "crotchfruit" in a serious manner is a perfect indication of the type of people that make a big deal of this complete non-issue. So with that, I exit this conversation.

Liberally1337: *thumbs through pages* Hmm. Nope. I don't see "The Right To Not Be Annoyed" anywhere. Suck it up, you big babies.

LOUD NOISES!

/flies with kids
//has no pity for your sensitive wittle eaws

*thumbs through pages* Hmm. Nope. I don't see "The Right To Be a Douchebag" anywhere. Knock it off, you Douchebag.

I think the airlines should just put the babies in crates under the plane with the rest of the luggage.

I've recently had the pleasure of listening to a screaming baby for 11 hours on a cramped flight. He was sitting two seats away from me. Earplugs and headphones did not help.

The only solution that makes sense is a special room for parents with children on the plane. A room with a soundproof door.

KatjaMouse: Noobian Noob: uncletogie: Noobian Noob: you really dont know how your child is going to react to a new situation until you get there.

my daughter is great with me but turns into an imp with strangers. she really really reaaaallly doesnt like new people. id have to stock up on motrin (for both of us!) if i ever even thought about taking her on a flight.

taking them on the Disney Cruise next year. the disney cruise goes to its OWN ISLAND. so it should be cool.

do most of my shopping online. only travel via amtrak. as a parent you have to always have a strategy. cant just go out all willy nilly.

baby cries dont bother me, i can tune them out. its the adult bellyaching over stupid shiat that i cant get with.

I gotta ask: Is she home-schooled, under 5 years of age, or just not properly socialized?

she turned 1 in july. try as they may, she simply does not like people. im hoping she will grow out of it eventually.

Why would you take a toddler to a cruise or any other theme park? I hope you have older kids you're just entertaining because trust me, she's not going to care until she's 5 or so.

/I went to Disney Land at age 3
//I weirdly have very vivid memories of that trip
///but my parents were able to take me places, they dropped my sister off at my grandmother's house on the way to the park.

i also have an 8 year old son.

and because i want to....lol

ShadowkahnCRX: Itchy92:
There's only so much a parent can do.


For what it's worth, I don't have kids or want kids. But I also don't automatically think that everyone who does is some sort of slack-jawed, simpleton imbecile who is a blight on our species.

Neither do I. But the "there's only so much a parent can do" line is crap. The parent can remove the kid from the situation. And if it's on a plane, then the parent can not take the kid on the plane until he's absolutely sure that the kid can handle being on the plane without pissing off the rest of the passengers.

What people are really saying when they say "there's only so much a parent can do" is "there's only so much a parent can do without inconveniencing the parent."

And that attitude, is a load of crap.

THIS.

MrEricSir: The only solution that makes sense is a special room for parents with children on the plane. A room with a soundproof door.

I think they already have one of those on a plane.

Don't know if you could convince the flight crew to leave, however...

MrEricSir: I've recently had the pleasure of listening to a screaming baby for 11 hours on a cramped flight. He was sitting two seats away from me. Earplugs and headphones did not help.

The only solution that makes sense is a special room for parents with children on the plane. A room with a soundproof door.

Bob Saget!? I thought it was Bob Seger!

The Angry Hand of God: MrEricSir: I've recently had the pleasure of listening to a screaming baby for 11 hours on a cramped flight. He was sitting two seats away from me. Earplugs and headphones did not help.

The only solution that makes sense is a special room for parents with children on the plane. A room with a soundproof door.

[ducttape.jpg]

That works too.

Or they can do what they're parents did in olden days and *gasp* do the dreaded road trip.

ShadowkahnCRX: What people are really saying when they say "there's only so much a parent can do" is "there's only so much a parent can do without inconveniencing the parent."

And that attitude, is a load of crap.

...and if I hear "It's a phase. They all go through it" one more time, I'm going to have to hurt someone.

Wow, some of you are totally hardcore and serious about being aggro to kids. Rock on with yer bad selves.

KatjaMouse: The Angry Hand of God: MrEricSir: I've recently had the pleasure of listening to a screaming baby for 11 hours on a cramped flight. He was sitting two seats away from me. Earplugs and headphones did not help.

The only solution that makes sense is a special room for parents with children on the plane. A room with a soundproof door.

[ducttape.jpg]

That works too.

Or they can do what they're parents did in olden days and *gasp* do the dreaded road trip.

Or, ya' know, you can.

Jobber8742: dead_dangler: I have two children and heartily support the "no babies on planes" policy.

You decide to have a kid? No flights or dinners in fancy restaurants for you until your child can behave himself and not annoy everyone around you.

Ah yes, because a baby crying has everything to do with your ability to parent. A baby with good parents never cries.

That is not at all what that said. Simply: Stay off of planes and nice restaurants until your child can behave in those places. BAD parents drag their kids to inappropriate places and don't discipline their kids. Good parents keep their loud kids out of those places until they learn how to behave.