Vent - babies on longnhaul flights

unholyangel

TheFactory wrote: »

There is absolutely no need for a child to scream and scream for 9 hours, there is clearly some sort of parenting issue there and it is not right that anyone should be subjected to that. If I had a child and it screamed for the whole flight I would be terribly embarrassed but people just do not care these days.

If you had a child you would know its literally impossible for a child to cry nonstop for 9 hours Crying/screaming dehydrates you and tires you out as an adult even for short periods of time, never mind for hours on end as a child. I have a feeling OP has slightly embellished his story as people often do. But to be fair, a kid crying for 15 mins can feel like hours if you cant block it out or you're tired.

ILW wrote: »

Britain ruled to world with an attitude that children should be seen and not heard. All gone downhill since we have become so "tolerant".

Britain also used to have an attitude that seen kids in factories and up chimneys from a very young age or being beaten black and blue by teachers for being left handed or not writing neat enough. Sometimes, change is for the better

However, I do agree that in some respects, we've become far too tolerant. I once saw a couple of kids playing INSIDE communal bins (dumpsters) while shouting for their mums attention and did she tell them to get out of the bins? Nope, actually sounded like she was praising them. Nice parenting love, could be broken glass, needles or anything in there!

Georgiegirl256

unholyangel wrote: »

Britain also used to have an attitude that seen kids in factories and up chimneys from a very young age or being beaten black and blue by teachers for being left handed or not writing neat enough.!

I was whacked on the hand with a ruler for writing with my left hand :mad: this was in the 80's too! Every time I see that teacher now, I think b***h! :rotfl: I'm proud to be a leftie! :T

MacMickster

Equaliser123 wrote: »

There is a third category - those with children who don't assume that everything (and everyone) has to adjust but who expect people to be a little understanding of the fact that children are just that - children.

Totally agree however that banging on seats, etc is unacceptable and poor parenting.

When you have children, the children themselves should be at the heart of your holiday planning.

When our children were young we tried to think of their needs. I would not have dreamt of taking a child under 2 on a long-haul flight, possibly subjecting them to hours of pain and distress due to the pressurised cabin. Very young children also find it harder to cope with a big change in temperature and humidity. On top of that, the child, at that age won't appreciate or remember the cultural delights, and may well stop you from enjoying them too.

Many have very good reasons for taking young children on a long-haul flight, but "I just must see Cuba this year - I simply must!" isn't one of those.

Our children started with short-haul flights at 3 or 4 years old to see how they coped before moving on to long haul Before that we holidayed in the UK, which has many wonderful places to visit. Hotels and destinations whenever we holidayed with our children were carefully chosen to ensure that our children would enjoy their holiday. Miserable children usually guarantee miserable parents.

PoorCharleyBear

Living in Aus fara way from family, we took out 4 month old to UK. She breastfed then slept most of the way (as babies do).
One the return, a plane full of rowdy footballers heading for a competition in KL apologised for disturbing us and being rowdy (well the coaches did) as my baby was so quiet.

She has flown between UK and Aus 6 times and knows she has to behave- I hate badly behaved kids so will not tolerate her doing the same. But I have a lot of sympathy with kids who are crying - the parents are generally mortified and need a bit of a break. People tut and complain constantly.
The only time my daughter cried was when being roughly manhandled out of her bassinet by a grumpy hostess, and when she was woken up by someone dropping a bag on her from an overhead bin. Both understandable.

People stop being so grumpy. They are kids. They are not likely to be as obnoxious as many of the drunks I have sat next to.

emmbrook

Equaliser123 wrote: »

There is a third category - those with children who don't assume that everything (and everyone) has to adjust but who expect people to be a little understanding of the fact that children are just that - children.

Totally agree however that banging on seats, etc is unacceptable and poor parenting.

I like to think I'm one of these parents too - I don't think we're in the minority at all though - you just don't notice us as our kids are well behaved.

As you say though, some allowances need to be made for young kids.
The worst behaviour I have seen on planes has been from adults.

mrcow

Wow just wow.

I've flown all over with my kids from age 1 month.

Longest flight time 13 hours.

I've never had anyone complain about them or even huff at me. Most people are considerate and understanding. As I am to others. We ALL have our faults and anyone can have a bad flight.

Perhaps it's the nature of these forums, but there are some seriously odd posts on this thread. Including those how are saying you should stay put in your own country until your children turn 4! Just wow.

And for those who are that intolerant that it seems they couldn't bear to just sit next to someone else's child for a few hours, how on Earth would you cope if you were forced to sit next to say someone disabled? or with a tick? or who had a persistent cough? Good God. Some of you would go into a tailspin by the sound of it!

If you don't like it. Upgrade out of cattle class. You get what you pay for.

unholyangel

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

I was whacked on the hand with a ruler for writing with my left hand :mad: this was in the 80's too! Every time I see that teacher now, I think b***h! :rotfl: I'm proud to be a leftie! :T

I'm a leftie but thankfully they had stopped the practice before I started school. Both my parents are lefties and got a beating every day - if they wrote with their left hand they got beaten for that, if they wrote with their right....they got beaten because it wasnt neat enough.

Dads teacher actually gave him a beating for thinking his S's werent good enough when they were!

As above, sometimes being more tolerant/accommodating is a good thing!

System

unholyangel wrote: »

I'm a leftie but thankfully they had stopped the practice before I started school. Both my parents are lefties and got a beating every day - if they wrote with their left hand they got beaten for that, if they wrote with their right....they got beaten because it wasnt neat enough.

Dads teacher actually gave him a beating for thinking his S's werent good enough when they were!

As above, sometimes being more tolerant/accommodating is a good thing!

I would argue if his S's were good enough then he wouldn't have got a beating! Obviously the teacher saw the S and decided it wasn't good enough. Seems like the beating was richly deserved

Stephb1986_2

My partner works for a huge firm that makes parts for Rolls Royce plane engines etc, I must say from what I've heard about his job I wouldn't want to work there. They are so stringent about everything if the paperwork isn't correct the part will get binned they want to know where that part came from right down to where the metal was made etc.

I don't think they they would put a plane in they sky if they didn't think it was safe enough to be flown.

I think it's more badly behaved kids that get my goat on planes rather than crying young babies as they are unable to say what is wrong with them. But badly behaved kids who run up and down and squeeling I just want to trip them up to be honest (Not that I have or will) but the thought is there. I know it's the parents holiday too but it is also every passengers holiday also.

I fly at stupid times so there is less chance of kids being on board. I don't hate kids but at the same time I don't want to be stuck on a plane with loads of them for hours on end

dickydonkin

mrcow wrote: »

If you don't like it. Upgrade out of cattle class. You get what you pay for.

Not necessarily!

You get screaming kids, farters, nose pickers, bad parents and obnoxious drunks at the pointy end of the plane as well.