Flying with a young child can be stressful, but I always try to make it as smooth as possible. This time, I was on a plane with my 5-year-old daughter, Ella, who was quietly watching a show on her iPad with headphones on. We were seated across the aisle from another family, and there was a boy around Ella’s age who kept glancing over at her screen. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but soon enough, his whining grew louder and more persistent.
Before long, his mother—who I’ll call Entitled Mom (EM)—tapped me on the shoulder with an air of authority. “We’re being responsible and not giving our son any screen time this trip,” she said, her voice dripping with entitlement. “Can you put the iPad away? It’s upsetting him.”
I was taken aback. Ella was calm, enjoying her show, and I wasn’t about to let this stranger dictate what my daughter could or couldn’t do. “No, sorry,” I said, giving a polite but firm response. “My daughter’s calm and enjoying her show.”
EM’s smile instantly faded, and her expression shifted to one of irritation. “Wow, so you’d rather ruin our family trip than take a break from your kid’s precious screen?” she muttered loudly, just enough for everyone around us to hear. “Some parents can’t say no these days. It’s no wonder kids are spoiled.”
I let her words roll off my back and tried to focus on my daughter, but the situation didn’t end there. Halfway through the flight, the boy started throwing a much bigger tantrum. His cries grew louder and more frantic, and that’s when EM decided to take matters into her own hands. With a fake smile plastered on her face, she “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray, sending her iPad crashing to the floor.
“Oops, so clumsy of me!” she said, sounding almost too pleased with herself.
Ella immediately burst into tears, and I could feel my blood start to boil. But I didn’t want to escalate things, so I took a deep breath and focused on calming Ella down. My daughter was upset, but I was determined not to let this woman ruin our flight. I reminded myself that karma would catch up with EM, and I didn’t have to lift a finger to make it happen.
And sure enough, karma struck sooner than I expected. After the “accident,” EM’s son started crying—loudly. He was sobbing uncontrollably, and no matter how much EM tried to comfort him, he couldn’t stop. Through his sobs, he confessed that he felt bad about what happened to Ella’s iPad. His words took EM by surprise, and I could see her face turn pale as she realized the impact her actions had not only on us but also on her own son.
I couldn’t help but feel a little satisfaction as I watched EM’s realization. Maybe now she’d understand that her entitled behavior wasn’t just hurting us—it was also affecting her own child.
Just as I was about to get up to grab a backup toy for Ella from the overhead bin, a flight attendant approached us. She had been watching the whole ordeal and, with a kind smile, offered Ella a small stuffed airplane from the airline’s merchandise. Ella’s face lit up as she hugged the toy tightly, her tears drying up almost immediately. The flight attendant quietly mentioned that she would be reporting the incident to her superiors, suggesting that EM might face some consequences for her behavior.
As the plane began its descent, I noticed EM trying to engage with her son, perhaps realizing that her previous approach wasn’t working. Her son, still looking guilty but also relieved after confessing, seemed to calm down as the flight neared its end.
When it was time to disembark, EM caught my eye. To my surprise, she mouthed a sheepish “Sorry.” I wasn’t expecting an apology, but I appreciated the gesture. It was a small acknowledgment of her mistake, and I couldn’t help but feel a little relieved that she seemed to recognize how out of line she had been.
Despite the turbulence, both in the air and on the ground, the trip ended on a somewhat hopeful note. As Ella and I walked off the plane, she clutched her new toy tightly and looked up at me with a hopeful twinkle in her eye. “Mom, can we fly again soon?” she asked, her voice full of excitement.
I smiled and squeezed her hand. “We’ll see, sweetie. We’ll see.”
In the end, it was a reminder that even in the face of entitled behavior and frustrating situations, there are moments of joy and resilience that make everything worth it. Sometimes, all it takes is a little patience, a stuffed animal, and a lesson in humility for someone to realize that their actions have consequences.
Sophia Reynolds is a dedicated journalist and a key contributor to Storyoftheday24.com. With a passion for uncovering compelling stories, Sophia Reynolds delivers insightful, well-researched news across various categories. Known for breaking down complex topics into engaging and accessible content, Sophia Reynolds has built a reputation for accuracy and reliability. With years of experience in the media industry, Sophia Reynolds remains committed to providing readers with timely and trustworthy news, making them a respected voice in modern journalism.
