In Reply to: get over yourself!!! posted by morrowfamily on Monday, 5. October 2009 at 07:07 Bali Time:
If you have been on the flight with any unruly passengers (children or adults) then you would know this.
On one long haul flight (red eye) we had a crying child about 4-5 rows back. Clearly the child was distressed and it was annoying as the parents managed to just switch off and let her hysterically cry for hours on end. I myself was trying to accomodate my own children and had them lying across me so they could try and get some sleep. Everyone in the whole plane was TRYING to sleep. But I can tell you it was distressing to listen to this child just endlessly cry. I would have expected the parents to pick her up and take her for a bit of a walk and by holding and reassuring her I am sure she would have nodded off. But they didnt and it made it an uncomfortable flight for all, especially the child herself who had worked herself into a state.
People have different parenting styles. I would never allow my kids to play in the aisles or make a lot of noise, but friends of ours allow there kids to be very noisy and active like that in public. I know when another passenger said something (akin to your advice) to them on the way to Phuket their uncle blew his stack at the guy and said "get a grip their kids". And yet they probably were annoying this poor bloke to death. Also a lot of people would rather be annoyed than speak up and be in possible conflict with others.