Meanwhile, the passenger calmly sips his tea.
Sharing a flight with a crying baby can make passengers cranky. However, a flier recently gave a lesson in patience when he posted a video of being kicked by a child next to him. Instead of reacting or complaining, he calmly sipped from his cup. The video has left social media users baffled as they struggle to understand why the mom didn’t intervene.
Bangkok-based travel influencer Paul Lee posted a short video on Instagram last week documenting his experience flying with a little girl next to him, crying and kicking him. The digital nomad patiently sips his tea as he is hit several times on his arm and shoulder. He captioned the video, “Worst flight seat possible.”
What stands out to many viewers is that the mother, while trying to stop the kicks, laughs at the behavior. Lee, however, waited it out, and the kicking stopped after three minutes, he explained in a comment. “I enjoyed the rest of my flight. Some battles aren’t worthy to be had. A little stoicism goes a long way.” He also said that he didn’t want to ruin his flight or make a scene.
The video also went viral on TikTok, garnering 4 million views. The internet, however, was not as forgiving as he was. While a few acknowledged that traveling with children is difficult, most were upset that the mom laughed about the situation instead of swapping seats with Lee or controlling her daughter. Many criticized her parenting approach, especially the concept of gentle parenting. “Gentle parenting is for gentle kids,” one user said. Another said they would take over the parenting, and “not the gentle one.”
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In September, another incident sparked debate over gentle parenting. A woman posted, “Hot take: Your toddler should not be the entire flight’s problem for four hours straight,” explaining that the mom ignored her child, who was having a meltdown. The post divided the public, with some arguing that gentle parenting is not actual parenting, while others said it reflects life in public spaces.
@baby_gh05t And the mom just put her headphones on and sat in silence the whole time. Bring back actual parenting #cryingbaby #toddler #flight #americanairlines ♬ original sound – Tara
Related: A 13-Hour Economy Flight With Two Kids Should’ve Been Miserable — But the Airline I Booked With Miles Was a Dream
Very few airlines restrict passengers based on age. Turkish airline Corendon has adult-only sections on its flights, accessible to passengers 16 and older. Since 2013, Malaysian airline AirAsia has offered quiet zones on some flights for guests aged 10 or up. This month, Emirates quietly updated its terms and conditions, prohibiting miles from being used to book first-class tickets for children.
Resorts worldwide, from Mexico and the Caribbean to Thailand and the Maldives, also promise adults-only holidays. Not everyone agrees with excluding children. In August, French officials called adults-only resorts and hotels discriminatory and expressed intentions to ban the practice of excluding children from venues.
Related: Yes, Babies Belong at Five-Star Resorts. I Took My 7-Month-Old to the Four Seasons
Traveling with children—especially babies and young kids—can be challenging, particularly if they have a tantrum on board. Sometimes, passengers help out parents and show compassion instead of annoyance. But the situation can get out of control. If you are truly bothered by the noise, politely ask the flight attendant if you can be seated elsewhere.
