Should I pay to sit with my 4 year old

bylromarha

wondercollie wrote: »

I must be the worst parent on the board. I've sent my children across Canada as unaccompanied minors. Paid a fee of $25 per child, airline hung ID cards around their neck and seated them on the aisles. One was five, the other eight.


They still as adult men talk about the flight. One was sat next to an off duty cop and the other one a nun.


Nobody vomited, nobody got lost. They got delivered to the grandparents at the other end. No passengers felt that they had been put upon. In fact the cop spoke to my parents when they were signing for the boys and told them what great kids they were.

:T:T:T:T Love stories from what used to happen with kids 20 years ago.

I've been accused of being a bad parent as I let my kids aged 9 and 7 walk the 15 mins to the library *sharp intake of breath* on their own!

Do I KNOW what could happen to them? :eek::eek::eek::eek:

Murphy_The_Cat

bylromarha wrote: »

:T:T:T:T

I've been accused of being a bad parent as I let my kids aged 9 and 7 walk the 15 mins to the library *sharp intake of breath* on their own!

Do I KNOW what could happen to them? :eek::eek::eek::eek:

Like you, I abhor the cotton woolling that some elements of society now insist is correct behaviour.

zagfles

wondercollie wrote: »

I must be the worst parent on the board. I've sent my children across Canada as unaccompanied minors. Paid a fee of $25 per child, airline hung ID cards around their neck and seated them on the aisles. One was five, the other eight.


They still as adult men talk about the flight. One was sat next to an off duty cop and the other one a nun.


Nobody vomited, nobody got lost. They got delivered to the grandparents at the other end. No passengers felt that they had been put upon. In fact the cop spoke to my parents when they were signing for the boys and told them what great kids they were.

Nothing wrong with that - most airlines offer an unaccompanied minors service, if they are going to go a long journey on their own then flying is the safest and easiest way to travel. The cabin crew would have been aware and looked after them. And sounds like it was a great experience for them!

I did a lot of unaccompanied travel when young, though not that young (local trains/buses about 8, long distance trains at 11, flying at 14), definitely got me the travel bug!

zagfles

bylromarha wrote: »

:T:T:T:T Love stories from what used to happen with kids 20 years ago.

I've been accused of being a bad parent as I let my kids aged 9 and 7 walk the 15 mins to the library *sharp intake of breath* on their own!

Do I KNOW what could happen to them? :eek::eek::eek::eek:

There was a very long and tedious thread here where I and others were accused of being bad parents for leaving kids of that age *at home* alone for short periods!

Some people simply have no clue about risk analysis.

wondercollie

Andypandyboy wrote: »

It is not my place to judge, but that seems awfully young to me to fly alone. I wonder, would they, as adults, do this with their own children?

Oh, but you are judging.


My sons say they plan on raising their children the way they were raised.


A flight like that is fairly common over here. it was common in Europe 30 years ago. Military children flew to/from the UK to Germany to attend boarding school. I remember sitting next to one ten year old who happily told me he was going straight to the station and getting the train to school. He'd be met at the school train station.


Kids still fly across North America as unaccompanied minors over all the school holidays to visit parents, grandparents, etc.

duchy

zagfles wrote: »

I'd be more than happy to swap with someone whose need is greater, whether it's a child or an adult with a phobia. Just like I'd give up my seat on a bus to someone less able to stand. I think that's the civilised way to behave, but maybe that's just me.:rotfl:


did he throw a tantrum?

I've swopped seats with people "in need" but if I've taken the time and trouble to organize an aisle seat for a long flight - I'd swop for another aisle seat but not for a middle seat because someone else didn't bother or didn't want to pay. There's a difference between "helpful" and "doormat".


And no the teenage crush was lovely - came over to chat whilst we were waiting for baggage afterwards -I think he'd caught on I was mortified

Rolandtheroadie

8 days till I can check in online now, 44 reserved (increase of 4 from 7 days ago), 151 still avaliable.

shoe*diva79

Ive just read this post with great interest. I am a single parent and have travelled every year without ever pre booking seats together. My children are now 16 and 4 and this year will be the same.. Ill book in online when I am able to and if I am not seated next to my 4 year old, then good luck to the passenger who is!

Disgusting that airlines should try and make a profit in this way.

Andypandyboy

wondercollie wrote: »

Oh, but you are judging.


My sons say they plan on raising their children the way they were raised.


A flight like that is fairly common over here. it was common in Europe 30 years ago. Military children flew to/from the UK to Germany to attend boarding school. I remember sitting next to one ten year old who happily told me he was going straight to the station and getting the train to school. He'd be met at the school train station.


Kids still fly across North America as unaccompanied minors over all the school holidays to visit parents, grandparents, etc.

Yes, I suppose I am judging:D.

Times have changed, what was common 30 years ago no longer is. What others do is of no concern to me, I wouldn't do likewise. As for your sons doing the same, maybe they will, maybe they won't, maybe their partners will have a different view.

barbie_babe

They are not allowed to take off if children are not sitting with there named adult. One year we where late taking off due to my children not beiing able to sit next to me. Everyone had to move as cabin crew said they couldnt fly without them being with me.