“I Do Not Care, Fly Private”: Diabetic Told Not To Eat Due To Passenger Kid Having Prader–Willi Syndrome, Takes None Of It
We have all encountered folks with an entitlement complex at some point during our lives; people who believe they deserve special treatment, who don’t miss a chance to use the “do you know who I am?” card and those who think that every single person on this planet is in debt to them.
People with a self-centered mentality have an altered understanding of deservingness and are confident that they’re bound to get what they want, regardless of whether they’re “better” than everyone else or not.
Dealing with such individuals comes with a hefty side of distress, and the next thing you know, you’re practically being forced to endanger yourself just because they don’t want to deal with their child’s tantrums.
More info: Reddit
Travelling is exhausting, and being forced to deal with an entitled family is the last thing a passenger would want
Image credits: faungg’s photo (not the actual image)
“AITA for telling a family to fly private?” – an online user took it to a widely popular subreddit to find out whether they might’ve overreacted when a family kept insisting that they should refrain from eating because of their child’s potential tantrum. The post has received over 23K upvotes and 2.5K worth of comments discussing the entitled behavior of the passengers.
Traveler with diabetes told a family to “fly private” when they demanded they refrain from eating because of their son’s tantrums
Image credits: u/illf*ckineatyoutoo
The author began the post by revealing that they recently were on a flight for a work trip where they had the displeasure of sitting next to a very demanding family. When the OP got on the plane, they were experiencing diabetes issues, meaning that they needed to eat within two hours.
Image credits: u/illf*ckineatyoutoo
Naturally, they started snacking and within a second they were already served some dirty looks. The woman didn’t hold back and said “Can you not do that? Our son,” making the author put their snacks away. They decided that they’d wait for the flight attendant to purchase the food at an acceptable time, just to show some respect for their fellow passengers.
Finally, when the flight attendant came around, the author began to ask for a drink and a snack box – however, before they could finish the sentence, the father cut them off and sent the employee away. The OP then got up to press the call button to get their needed food, yet the man interfered once again and revealed that their 6-year-old has a condition, while also adding that they’d prefer it if the OP didn’t eat because it causes tantrums.
Image credits: RubyGoes (not the actual image)
Image credits: u/illf*ckineatyoutoo
The OP was flabbergasted and close to a tantrum themselves, so they told the father to consider flying private if they want to control their surroundings. Thankfully, the flight attendant came back and the author was finally fed and well, though, as soon as they were ready to jump back to work, the mother also decided to contribute to this rather pointless conversation. She said that she felt a “calling” to educate the OP about her son’s diagnosis, which completely infuriated the author.
Image credits: u/illf*ckineatyoutoo
The woman kept talking about her son’s condition and nagging the OP about how their behavior affected the child – however, the author had had enough and told the mother that, frankly, they didn’t care and that they would handle their type 1 diabetes the way they see fit. The passenger said that they’re not risking their life just because the parents are not in the mood to deal with their offspring’s tantrum and that they should’ve at least booked a whole row if they didn’t want to deal with their son’s outburst.
Image credits: u/illf*ckineatyoutoo
Image credits: Daniela Snow (not the actual image)
Once the author arrived to their destination, they retold the story to a friend, who immediately let them know that they were being a huge jerk. The person revealed that even though they do feel bad about calling the family out, this kind of issue is unavoidable in public places, plus, it was crucial for the OP to eat.
What do you think about this? Would you handle it differently?
Fellow Redditors shared their own thoughts regarding this bizarre event
For me, the kicker was when the father declare to the FA that the whole row was fine and didn't need anything.
Me too. He does not speak for this person. What a jerk. Having diabetes is no joke. I never heard of the kid's medical issue, but she made accommodation when they first asked her to, but the unmitigated gall they had thinking a cross country flight without food or drink is going to happen is crazy.
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NTA. I feel a calling to educate those entitled a*****e parents about T1 Diabetes.
This whole story pissed me off. Diabetes affects approx 480 million adults, of which Type 1 makes up around 8-10%. Pradar-Willi syndrome affects 1 in 15000 people, or approximately 0.0067% of people. So yeah, your child is special - so special *you* should be the one making the accomodations, not the rest of the passengers and flight crew! (Oh, and one of the potential effects of the syndrome in later life is Type 2 diabetes, so mom really ought to be aware of the risk of hypos early)
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"If you eat, my son will throw a tantrum" ___ "If I don't eat, I could die. That trumps your kid's tantrum." ___ Admittedly, OP could have said it with a little more tact. But the original request was pretty ridiculous anyway.
I think the breaking point had been earlier - when the father decided to speak for the entire row as if he was the one in charge of a total stranger. After that - they get what they get.
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NTA, although it would have been a good time to ask the FA if you could be re-seated to accommodate everyone's condition (your diabetes and the kid's tantrums). You might have been moved to business or first class!
It sounds like he had a window seat. If they want to sit somewhere else, they can, but he shouldn't have to give up a good seat because of them.
Load More Replies... This isn’t exclusive to type 1. I just dealt with a 3am hypo. Us diabetics have to eat regularly. It’s a hallmark of our condition as is fainting into diabetic shock if we don’t
My DIL is T2D and eats once a day. Her numbers are fine.
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Are they planning to control the world surrounding their son until they or he dies?
No, they're planning to throw temper tantrums just like their kid if the world does not center them and their needs, and no one else.
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NTA. NYC to LAX is a 5 plus hour flight. Even myself not snacking would make me very hangry, and could trigger part of my PTSD from the Army. The right thing yo do is to contact the airline before the flight and talk to them about your kids condition and see how they can accommodate. If the airline doesn't resolve. Once you are all boarded up, politely speak to the passenger that is not family and explain your situation and just ask if they could help you with the condition, by either getting up and snacking in the galley, ETC... not just expect anyone to bend over out of nowhere in a space that he paid for.
We did not know how my autistic son would take to flying. We booked three seats in a row and had him between us (he was awesome the whole flight.) You adjust your surroundings to your needs, but you do it in a way to not impede with other peoples adjustments and needs. The only thing I would have done differently than the OP, if there were empty seats, I would have asked the attendant if I could move to one and the reason why. As long as someone else doesn't have it booked, they will most likely accommodate. Also, you will sometimes find yourself bumped up to business or first class if they only have to move one person and no other seats are available...but it rarely happens anymore.
My son only got upset on our last flight because it was very late and he was over tired. He loves aeroplanes but we bring things to keep him busy. Thankfully he has never had a meltdown on a flight (yet)
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Ever deal with someone losing consciousness because of hypoglycemia? I have and it's terrifying. This guy is NTA. Signed, mom of a T1D
To memyselfandemily, it may have been rude, but the OP was already on the verge of difficulty and needed to get that food in. He probably wasn't feeling his absolute best so as to remember to be kind, especially when someone tells the attendant that he didn't need to eat. I am a very kind person generally, but if I'm feeling unwell, I can get pretty cranky real quick.
I'm not convinced this is true. You would explain the condition of the child prior to anything like this if the situation presented itself. It's not about a tantrum. My cousin has it and as a child he did anything to get his hands on food. Everything had to be locked away, shops were given his details to avoid excessive food purchases or shoplifting. He would get aggressive if he was refused food.
I'm just trying to figure out why anyone wouldn't politely explain, "If you eat, our child will try to grab it, maybe we can switch seats," and the OP can say, "Oh, well, I can't delay it, I have type 1 diabetes, I'm managing it, I need to eat and drink at certain times." .... Are we really all that rude and ridiculous? ....
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I just dont understand how people think it’s totally acceptable to think that it’s ok to demand that of strangers. Why did that even stabilize in their minds as a ok think to put on random people in public. I would say NTA.
"No, you cannot eat a lollipop. If my kid sees it, he/she will throw a tantrum because they can't have one." Same reasoning that would get you laughed at. Entitled rude parents, rude OP. I'm sure all were stressed and some prior communication would have gone far better. Poor decisions all around but the parents were worse
ARe these parents also policing the people in the row ahead of them, behind them, across the aisle? And also, telling the stewardess to stop coming by with food.
From what they say, they were already feeling the effects of a delayed snack. And the parents did not explain their reason for asking them not to eat in the first instance. I completely understand the reaction.
These parents are teaching their son that the world needs to bend for his disease. He's gonna find out the hard way that it doesn't. I see responses about allergies and he could've requested to be moved....NO! If YOU'RE the one with a condition so delicate that you require certain accommodations then YOU'RE responsible to do what's necessary to meet that (i.e. buy extra seats, fly 1st class, alternate travel methods)... not the person who doesn't know you who spent money to also fly comfortably.
Why. Would. Someone. With. A child with Prader-Willi *not* accommodate a diabetic of any type?! That's their child's future if they're not lucky, careful, and .... yeah, everyone just needed to stop, take a breath, and maybe explain, "I have type 1 diabetes, I have to eat on a schedule."
I have several food related limitations and couldn't imagine trying to get on a plane. Much less demanding no one around me eat. It would have to be a severe emergency and I would have to wear a gas mask. Why would you take your kid with that type of disability on a plane, where YOU KNOW people are going to be eating?
Sorry, but OP is NTA. These parents placed themselves & their child in this situation & other people ( who also paid for the flight ) aren't responsible for this decision. I've autistic twin grandchildren & an NY to LA flight would be too much for EVERYONE. OP didn't owe these people an explanation for eating his own food. The attempted " lecture about our son" would've put me over the edge too.
I have Type 2 diabetes and if my blood sugar drops I start to shake and feel light headed. I have to get food in my system and fast. I understand that the other passengers' child has a medical condition, but they don't have the right to tell other people when they can eat. If their son has a tantrum, that's on them for not having dealt with this situation already. You can't stop the whole world from eating because your son might have a tantrum. It was especially rude for the father to speak on this person's behalf and the mother to want to preach at them about the son's illness. Maybe they could have handled things differently, but this family had already gotten on their nerves.
NTA. I take two medicines for epilepsy every 12 hours. If I don't take them within about 2 hours(I don't want to find out the limit the hard way) of 7:15am or 7:15pm, I will seize. If I were in this situation and had decided to go along with them, they'd soon have to deal with a lot more than just their kid's diabetes.
hella NTA, you health is more important that any parent's capability of parenting
Prader-Willis Syndrome is horrifically hard to live with and around, a god damned curse in which you have to helplessly watch a loved one suffer - since you CAN’T expect the world to bend around you. Not handling people eating when the person with PWS can’t won’t be functional or do any good, and I’m very, very surprised this family didn’t know that. That’d make them somewhat unique, I’d have to say. Usually families of someone with Prader-Willis are very much attuned to this.
NTA My initial thought was that a 9-year-old should be better at controlling himself. I am probably wrong there. But, give the kid the window seat and have him mentally prepared for others on the plane to be eating when he can't. At what age do they plan on giving him control. Are they just going to spring it on him? Kids learn from years of repetition. I am a diabetic and when you are in the 'I need to eat now' mode, it is probably similar to what the kid feels all of the time. But, his is hormonal and not accurate. Yours is the last straw before you slip into shock. Those parents are definitely wrong here. They are not the boss of you. Perhaps, they are not the boss of their son, either. Yes, they should have books a night flight!
Most adults with Prader-Willi live in group homes because they need supervision. It also comes with mild mental disability.
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All these people who think the OP just had to explain their need to eat and it would be fine? No. Just No. Nobody else needs to know anything about their medical conditions. All they need to say is they need to eat. Who cares if the OP has a medical need? It's none of the family’s . 'business. Their body is their own, always, in all things.
Literally, in a public space, you do NOT get to tell other people what to do. F-off! You don't get to deny other people to do normal things. If you have such special needs and don't tolerate others doing normal things, YOU are the one who need to fly private... (at your own cost!!)
NTA. See, I'm also a T1D, if my body is telling me that I need to take care of it, I will. There's not much you could do about it, especially seeing as it was an emergency. And honestly they could've taken the kid to the bathroom if they had such a problem with it, having a diabetic shock or going into dka is no joke.
100% NTA. The parents are the most entitled assholes I've read about recently
It always amazes me to what people feel entitled to because they spawned. Which isnt really an achievement.
Question, what is Pradar-Willi syndrome? I've never heard of it before, and I'm confused.
Someone who has prader-willi don't have the signals telling them they are full. They always feel hungry and will literally eat themselves to death if given the opportunity. Quite often they will even turn to eating garbage and non edible items coz they feel so hungry and desperate for food.
Load More Replies... I'm quite sure the OP didn't care by that time. He'd already accommodated the parents when they first asked him. I know when I'm depleted - I have low sodium and will need sugar and salt - I can appear desperate. Why did the parents ignore signs of distress the author? Compassion is hard to come by when being pushed and pushed by bullies… and then being bullied into hearing all about the woes of the mother? No thanks.
When you have low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) you get very short tempered amongst other symptoms. So even if the person was being rude it was a medical symptom so therefore NTA.
NTA OP. I've had some airplane passenger encounters, but I would have lost my s**t the first time they requested about the snacks. Seriously. In my opinion you were more than gracious and the mom pushed you to speak to her in language she would finally understand. What does she expect to happen when this kid grows up and rides public transportation where someone will probably have some sort of food? These people are doing a disservice to their son. In the real world, people eat in front of strangers. Also, it was overly nice of you to quickly finish your 'meal'. Smh.. some people and their children. 😤
Everybody was an a*****e, here. The solution would have been to ask the flight attendand if there is another seat. It is not to much to ask to respect two very difficult medical conditions, instead of trying to outdo each other. If there is no other seat available, anywhere, the parents could take their son to the loo, while the poster has her snacks.
NTA - Prader-Willi isn't autism. If the kid is having tantrums then they should try parenting the kid.
Even if it was autism, their kid, their responsibility.
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Do people actually believe these stories? Out of all the things that happened this didnt happen the most
Yes I always doubt these stories. Most of the time I don't think it is a complete fabrication, but I do think that OPs tell a version of events that makes them look like the good guy. It is always best to get both sides of the story before making a judgment.
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This story makes me particularly angry. My late brother was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 9. T1D is not something that can be controlled by diet alone, and requires a fine balance between diet and insulin. People don’t get T1D because of bad diet, it’s a genetic issue that affects the pancreas itself. If OP needed to eat, it was medically necessary that OP got something to eat.
This post is sad. The airline needs to provide better services for people with disabilities. They need a row to put people, especially children, with serious food restrictions or allergies. Prader Willi is a very serious, very difficult condition to manage. And to everyone who said that they shouldn't have brought them on the flight, that isn't how life goes. Maybe they were going to a funeral or a hospital or even a family vacation. As a society we need to be providing greater access to people with disabilities. Unfortunately for this post ESH, although I would think the primary problem is the airline. I have worked with children with various disabilities and Prader Willi was very difficult to manage. The child I worked with was an angel. But constantly feeling like you are starving, is truly awful. The gentleman also deserved to be able to eat and the situation should have been explained at the beginning and the gentleman moved when they realized there was a problem.
I think the diabetic was right to go ahead and eat; but, he was extremely rude about it by cussing and swearing and not showing any sympathy to them for what they have to deal with. Most people can't afford to buy all of the seats in the row or fly privately.
well, i think both sides were a holes. the family for demanding that a seat mate couldn't eat and the poster for not explaining that not eating would be detrimental to him. people need to communicate.
They might have been extended that courtesy of the father hadn’t behaved as if he was the parent for the whole row.
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Is anybody else wondering why a Type 1 diabetic would be drinking Coke? Something doesn't sit quite right here... It would be pretty dangerous for a diabetic to "chug" a soda; it causes reduced insulin response and sudden spikes in blood sugar, and anyone with diabetes (like me) would know this. I kinda feel a calling to educate the OP on their own condition! Also, if I read this correctly, it sounds like the OP said he/she didn't care about the child's health issue, long before explaining that he also had a medical condition. I feel like the parents may have been trying to pre-empt the OP and everyone else on the plane from experiencing a child's tantrum, because I have experienced this on a plane, and it is not fun. There is nowhere to run, believe me! And, perhaps they were taking their child for treatment somewhere, and could not afford to fly private. And it was not like the OP tried to be discreet about eating in front of the child, to improve the situation; he/she admittedly seemed to be very much in their faces about it. Would the OP also "scarf" down his/her food and "chug" his/her soda in front of a refugee family on a plane who explained to him that they had spent their last money on a flight out of a war-torn country, and hadn't had anything to eat for some time? 'Cuz I can guarantee you that is exactly what that kid feels like, having Prader-Willi's. The OP is slagging the family for being insensitive to his/her needs, but he/she is doing the same thing right back.
No, it's a genetic disorder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prader%E2%80%93Willi_syndrome
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Impossible to tell from a one sided story. If he used the tone and vulgarity implied, he went too far for sure.
No he did not. The parents crossed a line and were rightfully told ofd
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For me the overreacting makes him an a*****e no matter how right he was in the first place. Imo they are morally even.
Ok, I’m willing to be educated here but should someone with T1 diabetes be drinking Coke?
T1 diabetes is not caused by diet. It is usually genetic or triggered by an immune response from a virus etc. They need to keep their sugar levels up, so they need to consume sweet things regularly, otherwise their sugar levels can drop dangerously low causing a hypoglycaemic episode which can be fatal.
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She created a second problem in her response. The response she made was tantamount to a fit in itself. If she had responded maturely and explained her own need to eat due to a medical condition this would have likely defused the situation , instead she with her response appeared to be inconsiderate and uncaring about the other parties needs and issues. Both parties acted inconsiderately and irresponsibly , too often these are the things that culminate in tragic even violent escalation.
He's not an AH, do you know the symptoms of hypoglycemia? He even waited to make it go up, the longer you go without sugar when you have low bloodsugar the worse the symptoms becomes. He needed accommodations for his medical condition right there. When I get low, try to make me stand up and I will fall down because my body can't handle it. Its not just "I need to get the bloodsugar up or I die" its shaking, irritation, dizziness, anxiety, sweating, the feeling that you are about to pass out, your heart beats faster and harder, and these are just a few of the most common ones. When I get low I have a burning in my chest that spreads through my body and it feels like my inside is on fire, I sweat, shake, feel like I'm about to pass out(sometimes I do), if it takes too long for me to get sugar I lose my hearing and can't talk and I get irritated if people talk to me because my body is telling me that I'm dying and instinct takes over and I do what I can to save it.
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Not all diabetes is caused by diet and if someone has low blood sugar they literally need to eat something sweet to get their levels up. Otherwise they will end up having a hypoglycaemic episode which is dangerous. You really need to educate yourself before you start calling people morons.
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People deserve to get what they give. Speaking for the OP as if he/she is their child, the whole condescending “I feel a calling” remark, the constant hounding the OP about the child - nope, they got what they deserved. Their situation is their problem. No one else’s. Reserve the whole row, reserve a whole plane, or learn to deal with your own situation in public. When a total stranger eats is not their business. NTA - and they should count themselves fortunate they didn’t have the pleasure of sitting next to me.
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I agree, I imagine having a child like that is super stressfull, but they could had explained right when they sat down and work out a solution. No the surrounding should not have to accomodate the child but a little care about your fellow human doesn't harm anyone usually. Is it nice for all the other people in the plane if a kid throws a tantrum? A tantrum that the child hardly can help (nor the parents, so it's not as if it is a spoiled child). Maybe if they'd ask a hosted it would have been possible to switch seats for the time of the eating? Then no tantrum and the diabetic person got his food. And also consideration for the rest of the plane who might have to sit through the tantrum as well. As for not flying: Maybe they were going to a treatment center, of a funeral, or something else. As for private flying: do you know their bankaccounts? It's a one sided story. ESH.
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For me, the kicker was when the father declare to the FA that the whole row was fine and didn't need anything.
Me too. He does not speak for this person. What a jerk. Having diabetes is no joke. I never heard of the kid's medical issue, but she made accommodation when they first asked her to, but the unmitigated gall they had thinking a cross country flight without food or drink is going to happen is crazy.
Load More Replies... NTA. I feel a calling to educate those entitled a*****e parents about T1 Diabetes.
This whole story pissed me off. Diabetes affects approx 480 million adults, of which Type 1 makes up around 8-10%. Pradar-Willi syndrome affects 1 in 15000 people, or approximately 0.0067% of people. So yeah, your child is special - so special *you* should be the one making the accomodations, not the rest of the passengers and flight crew! (Oh, and one of the potential effects of the syndrome in later life is Type 2 diabetes, so mom really ought to be aware of the risk of hypos early)
Load More Replies... "If you eat, my son will throw a tantrum" ___ "If I don't eat, I could die. That trumps your kid's tantrum." ___ Admittedly, OP could have said it with a little more tact. But the original request was pretty ridiculous anyway.
I think the breaking point had been earlier - when the father decided to speak for the entire row as if he was the one in charge of a total stranger. After that - they get what they get.
Load More Replies... NTA, although it would have been a good time to ask the FA if you could be re-seated to accommodate everyone's condition (your diabetes and the kid's tantrums). You might have been moved to business or first class!
It sounds like he had a window seat. If they want to sit somewhere else, they can, but he shouldn't have to give up a good seat because of them.
Load More Replies... This isn’t exclusive to type 1. I just dealt with a 3am hypo. Us diabetics have to eat regularly. It’s a hallmark of our condition as is fainting into diabetic shock if we don’t
My DIL is T2D and eats once a day. Her numbers are fine.
Load More Replies... Are they planning to control the world surrounding their son until they or he dies?
No, they're planning to throw temper tantrums just like their kid if the world does not center them and their needs, and no one else.
Load More Replies... NTA. NYC to LAX is a 5 plus hour flight. Even myself not snacking would make me very hangry, and could trigger part of my PTSD from the Army. The right thing yo do is to contact the airline before the flight and talk to them about your kids condition and see how they can accommodate. If the airline doesn't resolve. Once you are all boarded up, politely speak to the passenger that is not family and explain your situation and just ask if they could help you with the condition, by either getting up and snacking in the galley, ETC... not just expect anyone to bend over out of nowhere in a space that he paid for.
We did not know how my autistic son would take to flying. We booked three seats in a row and had him between us (he was awesome the whole flight.) You adjust your surroundings to your needs, but you do it in a way to not impede with other peoples adjustments and needs. The only thing I would have done differently than the OP, if there were empty seats, I would have asked the attendant if I could move to one and the reason why. As long as someone else doesn't have it booked, they will most likely accommodate. Also, you will sometimes find yourself bumped up to business or first class if they only have to move one person and no other seats are available...but it rarely happens anymore.
My son only got upset on our last flight because it was very late and he was over tired. He loves aeroplanes but we bring things to keep him busy. Thankfully he has never had a meltdown on a flight (yet)
Load More Replies... Ever deal with someone losing consciousness because of hypoglycemia? I have and it's terrifying. This guy is NTA. Signed, mom of a T1D
To memyselfandemily, it may have been rude, but the OP was already on the verge of difficulty and needed to get that food in. He probably wasn't feeling his absolute best so as to remember to be kind, especially when someone tells the attendant that he didn't need to eat. I am a very kind person generally, but if I'm feeling unwell, I can get pretty cranky real quick.
I'm not convinced this is true. You would explain the condition of the child prior to anything like this if the situation presented itself. It's not about a tantrum. My cousin has it and as a child he did anything to get his hands on food. Everything had to be locked away, shops were given his details to avoid excessive food purchases or shoplifting. He would get aggressive if he was refused food.
I'm just trying to figure out why anyone wouldn't politely explain, "If you eat, our child will try to grab it, maybe we can switch seats," and the OP can say, "Oh, well, I can't delay it, I have type 1 diabetes, I'm managing it, I need to eat and drink at certain times." .... Are we really all that rude and ridiculous? ....
Load More Replies... I just dont understand how people think it’s totally acceptable to think that it’s ok to demand that of strangers. Why did that even stabilize in their minds as a ok think to put on random people in public. I would say NTA.
"No, you cannot eat a lollipop. If my kid sees it, he/she will throw a tantrum because they can't have one." Same reasoning that would get you laughed at. Entitled rude parents, rude OP. I'm sure all were stressed and some prior communication would have gone far better. Poor decisions all around but the parents were worse
ARe these parents also policing the people in the row ahead of them, behind them, across the aisle? And also, telling the stewardess to stop coming by with food.
From what they say, they were already feeling the effects of a delayed snack. And the parents did not explain their reason for asking them not to eat in the first instance. I completely understand the reaction.
These parents are teaching their son that the world needs to bend for his disease. He's gonna find out the hard way that it doesn't. I see responses about allergies and he could've requested to be moved....NO! If YOU'RE the one with a condition so delicate that you require certain accommodations then YOU'RE responsible to do what's necessary to meet that (i.e. buy extra seats, fly 1st class, alternate travel methods)... not the person who doesn't know you who spent money to also fly comfortably.
Why. Would. Someone. With. A child with Prader-Willi *not* accommodate a diabetic of any type?! That's their child's future if they're not lucky, careful, and .... yeah, everyone just needed to stop, take a breath, and maybe explain, "I have type 1 diabetes, I have to eat on a schedule."
I have several food related limitations and couldn't imagine trying to get on a plane. Much less demanding no one around me eat. It would have to be a severe emergency and I would have to wear a gas mask. Why would you take your kid with that type of disability on a plane, where YOU KNOW people are going to be eating?
Sorry, but OP is NTA. These parents placed themselves & their child in this situation & other people ( who also paid for the flight ) aren't responsible for this decision. I've autistic twin grandchildren & an NY to LA flight would be too much for EVERYONE. OP didn't owe these people an explanation for eating his own food. The attempted " lecture about our son" would've put me over the edge too.
I have Type 2 diabetes and if my blood sugar drops I start to shake and feel light headed. I have to get food in my system and fast. I understand that the other passengers' child has a medical condition, but they don't have the right to tell other people when they can eat. If their son has a tantrum, that's on them for not having dealt with this situation already. You can't stop the whole world from eating because your son might have a tantrum. It was especially rude for the father to speak on this person's behalf and the mother to want to preach at them about the son's illness. Maybe they could have handled things differently, but this family had already gotten on their nerves.
NTA. I take two medicines for epilepsy every 12 hours. If I don't take them within about 2 hours(I don't want to find out the limit the hard way) of 7:15am or 7:15pm, I will seize. If I were in this situation and had decided to go along with them, they'd soon have to deal with a lot more than just their kid's diabetes.
hella NTA, you health is more important that any parent's capability of parenting
Prader-Willis Syndrome is horrifically hard to live with and around, a god damned curse in which you have to helplessly watch a loved one suffer - since you CAN’T expect the world to bend around you. Not handling people eating when the person with PWS can’t won’t be functional or do any good, and I’m very, very surprised this family didn’t know that. That’d make them somewhat unique, I’d have to say. Usually families of someone with Prader-Willis are very much attuned to this.
NTA My initial thought was that a 9-year-old should be better at controlling himself. I am probably wrong there. But, give the kid the window seat and have him mentally prepared for others on the plane to be eating when he can't. At what age do they plan on giving him control. Are they just going to spring it on him? Kids learn from years of repetition. I am a diabetic and when you are in the 'I need to eat now' mode, it is probably similar to what the kid feels all of the time. But, his is hormonal and not accurate. Yours is the last straw before you slip into shock. Those parents are definitely wrong here. They are not the boss of you. Perhaps, they are not the boss of their son, either. Yes, they should have books a night flight!
Most adults with Prader-Willi live in group homes because they need supervision. It also comes with mild mental disability.
Load More Replies... All these people who think the OP just had to explain their need to eat and it would be fine? No. Just No. Nobody else needs to know anything about their medical conditions. All they need to say is they need to eat. Who cares if the OP has a medical need? It's none of the family’s . 'business. Their body is their own, always, in all things.
Literally, in a public space, you do NOT get to tell other people what to do. F-off! You don't get to deny other people to do normal things. If you have such special needs and don't tolerate others doing normal things, YOU are the one who need to fly private... (at your own cost!!)
NTA. See, I'm also a T1D, if my body is telling me that I need to take care of it, I will. There's not much you could do about it, especially seeing as it was an emergency. And honestly they could've taken the kid to the bathroom if they had such a problem with it, having a diabetic shock or going into dka is no joke.
100% NTA. The parents are the most entitled assholes I've read about recently
It always amazes me to what people feel entitled to because they spawned. Which isnt really an achievement.
Question, what is Pradar-Willi syndrome? I've never heard of it before, and I'm confused.
Someone who has prader-willi don't have the signals telling them they are full. They always feel hungry and will literally eat themselves to death if given the opportunity. Quite often they will even turn to eating garbage and non edible items coz they feel so hungry and desperate for food.
Load More Replies... I'm quite sure the OP didn't care by that time. He'd already accommodated the parents when they first asked him. I know when I'm depleted - I have low sodium and will need sugar and salt - I can appear desperate. Why did the parents ignore signs of distress the author? Compassion is hard to come by when being pushed and pushed by bullies… and then being bullied into hearing all about the woes of the mother? No thanks.
When you have low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) you get very short tempered amongst other symptoms. So even if the person was being rude it was a medical symptom so therefore NTA.
NTA OP. I've had some airplane passenger encounters, but I would have lost my s**t the first time they requested about the snacks. Seriously. In my opinion you were more than gracious and the mom pushed you to speak to her in language she would finally understand. What does she expect to happen when this kid grows up and rides public transportation where someone will probably have some sort of food? These people are doing a disservice to their son. In the real world, people eat in front of strangers. Also, it was overly nice of you to quickly finish your 'meal'. Smh.. some people and their children. 😤
Everybody was an a*****e, here. The solution would have been to ask the flight attendand if there is another seat. It is not to much to ask to respect two very difficult medical conditions, instead of trying to outdo each other. If there is no other seat available, anywhere, the parents could take their son to the loo, while the poster has her snacks.
NTA - Prader-Willi isn't autism. If the kid is having tantrums then they should try parenting the kid.
Even if it was autism, their kid, their responsibility.
Load More Replies... Do people actually believe these stories? Out of all the things that happened this didnt happen the most
Yes I always doubt these stories. Most of the time I don't think it is a complete fabrication, but I do think that OPs tell a version of events that makes them look like the good guy. It is always best to get both sides of the story before making a judgment.
Load More Replies... This story makes me particularly angry. My late brother was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 9. T1D is not something that can be controlled by diet alone, and requires a fine balance between diet and insulin. People don’t get T1D because of bad diet, it’s a genetic issue that affects the pancreas itself. If OP needed to eat, it was medically necessary that OP got something to eat.
This post is sad. The airline needs to provide better services for people with disabilities. They need a row to put people, especially children, with serious food restrictions or allergies. Prader Willi is a very serious, very difficult condition to manage. And to everyone who said that they shouldn't have brought them on the flight, that isn't how life goes. Maybe they were going to a funeral or a hospital or even a family vacation. As a society we need to be providing greater access to people with disabilities. Unfortunately for this post ESH, although I would think the primary problem is the airline. I have worked with children with various disabilities and Prader Willi was very difficult to manage. The child I worked with was an angel. But constantly feeling like you are starving, is truly awful. The gentleman also deserved to be able to eat and the situation should have been explained at the beginning and the gentleman moved when they realized there was a problem.
I think the diabetic was right to go ahead and eat; but, he was extremely rude about it by cussing and swearing and not showing any sympathy to them for what they have to deal with. Most people can't afford to buy all of the seats in the row or fly privately.
well, i think both sides were a holes. the family for demanding that a seat mate couldn't eat and the poster for not explaining that not eating would be detrimental to him. people need to communicate.
They might have been extended that courtesy of the father hadn’t behaved as if he was the parent for the whole row.
Load More Replies... Is anybody else wondering why a Type 1 diabetic would be drinking Coke? Something doesn't sit quite right here... It would be pretty dangerous for a diabetic to "chug" a soda; it causes reduced insulin response and sudden spikes in blood sugar, and anyone with diabetes (like me) would know this. I kinda feel a calling to educate the OP on their own condition! Also, if I read this correctly, it sounds like the OP said he/she didn't care about the child's health issue, long before explaining that he also had a medical condition. I feel like the parents may have been trying to pre-empt the OP and everyone else on the plane from experiencing a child's tantrum, because I have experienced this on a plane, and it is not fun. There is nowhere to run, believe me! And, perhaps they were taking their child for treatment somewhere, and could not afford to fly private. And it was not like the OP tried to be discreet about eating in front of the child, to improve the situation; he/she admittedly seemed to be very much in their faces about it. Would the OP also "scarf" down his/her food and "chug" his/her soda in front of a refugee family on a plane who explained to him that they had spent their last money on a flight out of a war-torn country, and hadn't had anything to eat for some time? 'Cuz I can guarantee you that is exactly what that kid feels like, having Prader-Willi's. The OP is slagging the family for being insensitive to his/her needs, but he/she is doing the same thing right back.
No, it's a genetic disorder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prader%E2%80%93Willi_syndrome
Load More Replies... Impossible to tell from a one sided story. If he used the tone and vulgarity implied, he went too far for sure.
No he did not. The parents crossed a line and were rightfully told ofd
Load More Replies... For me the overreacting makes him an a*****e no matter how right he was in the first place. Imo they are morally even.
Ok, I’m willing to be educated here but should someone with T1 diabetes be drinking Coke?
T1 diabetes is not caused by diet. It is usually genetic or triggered by an immune response from a virus etc. They need to keep their sugar levels up, so they need to consume sweet things regularly, otherwise their sugar levels can drop dangerously low causing a hypoglycaemic episode which can be fatal.
Load More Replies... She created a second problem in her response. The response she made was tantamount to a fit in itself. If she had responded maturely and explained her own need to eat due to a medical condition this would have likely defused the situation , instead she with her response appeared to be inconsiderate and uncaring about the other parties needs and issues. Both parties acted inconsiderately and irresponsibly , too often these are the things that culminate in tragic even violent escalation.
He's not an AH, do you know the symptoms of hypoglycemia? He even waited to make it go up, the longer you go without sugar when you have low bloodsugar the worse the symptoms becomes. He needed accommodations for his medical condition right there. When I get low, try to make me stand up and I will fall down because my body can't handle it. Its not just "I need to get the bloodsugar up or I die" its shaking, irritation, dizziness, anxiety, sweating, the feeling that you are about to pass out, your heart beats faster and harder, and these are just a few of the most common ones. When I get low I have a burning in my chest that spreads through my body and it feels like my inside is on fire, I sweat, shake, feel like I'm about to pass out(sometimes I do), if it takes too long for me to get sugar I lose my hearing and can't talk and I get irritated if people talk to me because my body is telling me that I'm dying and instinct takes over and I do what I can to save it.
Load More Replies... Not all diabetes is caused by diet and if someone has low blood sugar they literally need to eat something sweet to get their levels up. Otherwise they will end up having a hypoglycaemic episode which is dangerous. You really need to educate yourself before you start calling people morons.
Load More Replies... People deserve to get what they give. Speaking for the OP as if he/she is their child, the whole condescending “I feel a calling” remark, the constant hounding the OP about the child - nope, they got what they deserved. Their situation is their problem. No one else’s. Reserve the whole row, reserve a whole plane, or learn to deal with your own situation in public. When a total stranger eats is not their business. NTA - and they should count themselves fortunate they didn’t have the pleasure of sitting next to me.
Load More Replies... I agree, I imagine having a child like that is super stressfull, but they could had explained right when they sat down and work out a solution. No the surrounding should not have to accomodate the child but a little care about your fellow human doesn't harm anyone usually. Is it nice for all the other people in the plane if a kid throws a tantrum? A tantrum that the child hardly can help (nor the parents, so it's not as if it is a spoiled child). Maybe if they'd ask a hosted it would have been possible to switch seats for the time of the eating? Then no tantrum and the diabetic person got his food. And also consideration for the rest of the plane who might have to sit through the tantrum as well. As for not flying: Maybe they were going to a treatment center, of a funeral, or something else. As for private flying: do you know their bankaccounts? It's a one sided story. ESH.
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