Parents on airplane ask mom to take away her daughter's iPad because their 3-year-old isn't allowed to use his on vacation, toddler cried for 2 hours when she refused: 'The parents kept shooting me dirty looks which I just ignored'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Sep 5, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

If you're going to be strict with your kids, you must be strong enough to stand your ground when other parents are not as strict. Let's say you refuse to buy your kid a smartphone until they're in 9th grade. That's an intelligent and responsible decision on paper, but it's much easier said than done. If you decide to do that, your kid will come home from middle school (and even elementary school) every day begging for an iPhone, accusing you of turning them into a social pariah because you won't buy them one. Would that be enough for you to give in and buy the darn thing? Or can you accept your child's frustration that life isn't fair?

That's the question one set of parents could not answer when their toddler saw another toddler playing on her iPad on an airplane. Instead of giving in or giving him another means of entertainment, they asked the mother of the other toddler to put away her iPad. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10399176192
    via Paul Hanaoka

    Photo does not depict the real subjects in the story

  • 02
    AITA for not taking my daughter's iPad from her? Not the
    via u/Independent_Dream111
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    I was on a flight with my 3 year old daughter and there was a family sitting across from us with a kid that looked about the same age. The little boy noticed my daughters iPad and was trying to get at it and started crying when the mom told him no. My daughter and I both put on headphones and were just blocking it out. The woman got my attention after a while and said that they weren't allowing their son to use his iPad on their vacation and would it be okay if my daughter put hers away, I said
    via u/Independent_Dream111
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    Far-Belt9950 - 19h Partassipant [3] NTA. If they don'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. 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.
    via u/Far-Belt9950
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    meOmio • 18h When traveling with young children, you have to be prepared with a variety of activities and snacks. If you don't want them to use an iPad, then you better have something else to keep them occupied.
    via u/me0mio
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    One-Stomach9957 • 17h Make sure that whatever it is, they're as excited about it as their iPad.
    via u/One-Stomach9957
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    BadgeringMagpie • 17h Partassipant [2] Or just don't let them have access to an iPad from the start.
    via u/BadgeringMagpie
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    Meghanshadow • 17h . Colo-rectal Surgeon [46] I can't understand parents who hand their toddlers smartphones or tablets. I'm too broke to consider those as kid toys. But honestly, if you do - as soon as you - start they Need the lesson that they only get it Sometimes, for a While (and definitely an entire plane trip if it keeps themhappy). Not whenever they want for however long they want.
    via u/Meghanshadow
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    StartTalkingSense ⚫ 17h Partassipant [1] We had the exact opposite rule on flights with our kids: unlimited screen time. The flights were 14 & 10 hours and happened every two years. 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). We found that this was the best option for us at least because dealing with flights this long, sleeping at odd hours and time zone differences was difficult enough.
    via u/StartTalkingSense
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    nicothrnoc 16h That's the one time it makes sense to just shove the kid in front of an iPad. There's nothing else for them to do and it's imperative for others comfort that they stay quiet and distracted.
    via u/nicothrnoc
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    NTA. MoonpieTexas1971 • 18h The only time I DON'T hate seeing a child wearing headphones and staring at a glowing rectangle is on an airplane. You were prepared, you had a quiet, happy child who didn't disturb the other passengers. You did everything right. If the other child was unhappy, it was caused by their parent(s), who failed to prepare.
    via u/MoonpieTexas1971
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    I know it seems crazy, but there was a time before the age of the digital babysitter, when parents handed their child a new coloring book and crayons, and expected them to stay quietly in their seat with the belt fastened and leave everyone alone. You did a good job. Don't second guess your choice. Their failures are not your responsibility.
    via u/MoonpieTexas1971
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    AdorableWorryWorm • 18h Yes- exactly! There are great reasons to limit screen time. My kids have restrictions on how much screen time they get. Except there's one time when they have unlimited screen time and that's when they're on a plane. Zone out my little duckies! I don't care if you're zombies for now, I just want us to get off this plane with the least amount of drama.
    via u/AdorableWorryWorm
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    totes-mi-goats • 17h . Also, planes are unpleasant for even adults, for most kids. The extra they're probably screen time probably also gives kids something to look forward to in an otherwise situation.
    via u/totes-mi-goats
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    Ok Enthusiasm1898 • 17h Partassipant [1] Exactly! Most young kids are on airplanes... what, maybe a few times a year if they're lucky? Unlimited screen time several times a year won't hurt anyone. Besides...most adults spend the whole flight watching movies too, and nobody bats an eye. Not saying families need to allow screen time on airplanes, but those who do certainly aren't TAH.
    via u/Ok_Enthusiasm1898
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    Malibu Cola • 19h NTA, but that other parent sure is. Just because they're not allowing their kid to use his iPad for vacation, doesn't mean you have to take it away from your daughter. The entitlement is strong with this one.
    via u/Malibu_Cola
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    ricebasket • 18h Aficionado [12] NTA. What a ridiculous request and an insane parenting decision. Nearly every plan I'm on someone is looking at a device, be it a phone, iPad, or seat screen. Did the mom expect everyone in the kid's eyeline to put up their devices? I'm 33 and I don't give myself the expectation of being on a plane without distraction, why on earth would I give that expectation to a small child.
    via u/ricebasket
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    VinylHighway • 18h Partassipant [1] "Sorry I'm on a diet would you mind not ordering that slice of cake"
    via u/VinylHighway
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    Nahooo_Mama • 14h It's weak parenting. They want other people to uphold or reinforce their rules instead of fighting their own battles. This is just a guess: I bet their kid kept crying because he thought they would cave, but they didn't pack the ipad or something so they couldn't give in even if they wanted to.
    via u/Nahooo_Mama

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ipads ipad kids toddlers bad parenting nosy parenting passenger airplanes Parenting Fail parents crying children airplane Parenting FAILS flying toddler
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