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Mom’s Brutally Honest Post Explains Why You Don’t Owe Strangers Candy For Sitting Next To Your Babies
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Mom’s Brutally Honest Post Explains Why You Don’t Owe Strangers Candy For Sitting Next To Your Babies

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We’ve all been on an airplane where some inconsolable baby just won’t stop crying. Some parents try to make it easier for their fellow passengers by handing out goodie bags as a pre-emptive apology, but one mom has written an honest article arguing against such a trend. “Every time I see one of these baggies go viral I am filled with rage,” wrote Cassie Murdoch for Mashable recently.

“These goody bags…send the message we should feel bad for having babies who act like babies. We shouldn’t.” Check out her full article below.

Image credits: Lars Plougmann

This Friday, reddit user “Fe_Mike” posted a photo of gift baggy and a little note “written” by a three-month old with the comment, “Lady on the airplane just handed this to all of the rows around us. She now has an entire team of passengers ready to help.”

Image credits: Fe_Mike

“If this sounds familiar, it’s because these little handouts — usually filled with some candy and a set of ear plugs — have become a full-on viral trend. On the surface it’s a nice gesture, but as the mother of twin toddlers, every time I see one of these baggies go viral I am filled with rage. Other moms and dads I’ve talked to say the same thing. That’s not to say the individual parents who give these out are doing anything wrong. They’re just trying to be nice — a good instinct in these tense times,” writes Cassie.

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Image credits: Juanmonino

“The cumulative effect, though, of these goody bags sweeping the feel-good internet is to build in the unrealistic expectation that the next time you board a plane and see someone holding a baby that person owes you a preemptive apology in the form of Tootsie Rolls. The thing about these goody bags that has rubbed many parents the wrong way from the start is that they send the message we should feel bad for having babies who act like babies. We shouldn’t.”

Image credits: Ninjashares

“If my child screams, it may annoy you. But there are a million ways adults can be equally annoying — and they should know better. I once spent a flight trapped next to a man who packed and consumed not one but three intensely smelly tuna sandwiches during the course of the trip. I did not receive a single goody bag for my suffering.”

Image credits: Radist

“Surviving air travel with our sanity intact is hard enough for all of us, not just parents. But most people who fly with their kid have also dragged a car seat, a stroller, extra food and diapers, and approximate 9,000 tons of other miscellaneous supplies. The next time I wrestle my wriggling toddlers and all their crap onboard, I shouldn’t have to also stress that I failed to bring a dozen charming packages full of snacks for everyone around me.”

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Image credits: gigantomachy

“We may not be handing you Instagram-worthy gifts, but the vast majority of parents are already going above and beyond to make sure our children don’t bother you during the flight. Trust me when I say, the most stressful part of traveling with a baby is not trying to clean up the inevitable poopsplosion in the minuscule aircraft lavatory during turbulence. It’s worrying non-stop for the entire journey that our child will become inconsolable and disrupt the trip of every passenger within shouting distance.”

Image credits:  (h/t: Mashable)

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rainbowhaven avatar
Michelle Brideau
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are a terrible idea. I'm an adult with no kids but I understand babies can't be reasoned with and they might cry on a flight. I'm grownup enough not to need a goody bag to be pacified. I do have issues with parents who are oblivious to their children's ill behaviour and resent having to ask a child behind me to stop kicking my chair but I will, nicely, if I have to.

dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like your reply. It's rational, honest, unpretentious, practical. I wish I could upvote it to the top.

Load More Replies...
lieke avatar
LizzyM
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not about apologizing for your baby acting like a baby, it's about being considerate to your fellow travellers who are stuck for hours in a small, crowded and confined space with your crying offspring.

anisahadiputri avatar
Anisa Hadi
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes it is the result... but I just think everybody paid the same amount of fee to purchase their ticket. So I find it rather unfair that some people get to sleep next to adults who are peaceful while some people have no choice but to tolerate next to screaming babies because they've got no absolute clue as to who they'll be seated next to when they picked their seats online. It takes two to tolerate, good adults wouldn't complain and would tolerate the best that they could when seated next to a crying baby although I can tell you that this isn't very easy at all! So as a parent, you could at least appreciate their tolerance. Yes I'd be annoyed If I get seated next to a baby but being an honest person, I would at least feel much more appreciated if the parents go the extra mile by handing ear plugs for example. I'd consider them respectful and well-prepared set of parents, and in return, this also improves my level of tolerance as a person.

Load More Replies...
stephaniehutner avatar
Stephanie Hutner
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see the point of this, but it doesn't change how I feel about screaming kids.Especially when the adult isn't doing a damn thing to calm it

Load More Comments
rainbowhaven avatar
Michelle Brideau
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are a terrible idea. I'm an adult with no kids but I understand babies can't be reasoned with and they might cry on a flight. I'm grownup enough not to need a goody bag to be pacified. I do have issues with parents who are oblivious to their children's ill behaviour and resent having to ask a child behind me to stop kicking my chair but I will, nicely, if I have to.

dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like your reply. It's rational, honest, unpretentious, practical. I wish I could upvote it to the top.

Load More Replies...
lieke avatar
LizzyM
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not about apologizing for your baby acting like a baby, it's about being considerate to your fellow travellers who are stuck for hours in a small, crowded and confined space with your crying offspring.

anisahadiputri avatar
Anisa Hadi
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes it is the result... but I just think everybody paid the same amount of fee to purchase their ticket. So I find it rather unfair that some people get to sleep next to adults who are peaceful while some people have no choice but to tolerate next to screaming babies because they've got no absolute clue as to who they'll be seated next to when they picked their seats online. It takes two to tolerate, good adults wouldn't complain and would tolerate the best that they could when seated next to a crying baby although I can tell you that this isn't very easy at all! So as a parent, you could at least appreciate their tolerance. Yes I'd be annoyed If I get seated next to a baby but being an honest person, I would at least feel much more appreciated if the parents go the extra mile by handing ear plugs for example. I'd consider them respectful and well-prepared set of parents, and in return, this also improves my level of tolerance as a person.

Load More Replies...
stephaniehutner avatar
Stephanie Hutner
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see the point of this, but it doesn't change how I feel about screaming kids.Especially when the adult isn't doing a damn thing to calm it

Load More Comments
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