Mom slams man who complained about her crying toddler on flight

A mother and parenting blogger has penned an open letter to a man who complained about her crying toddler all throughout a cross-country flight.

In the note, which was published on the Facebook group for the parenting website, Momstrosity, Stephanie Hollifield detailed how she was taking her first trip with her two-year-old, and how she was feeling "very nervous" about it - especially given that her daughter was in the throes of recovering from a sinus infection.
From the moment they sat down, Stephanie claimed that the male passenger - who was sat directly in front of her - proceeded to make a series of "dramatic huff and puffs" to ensure she was aware that he was "annoyed" by their "very presence".

And in a story as old as man to any parent, Stephanie's daughter began to cry and scream as the plane took off, despite all the extensive prep she has done.

Credit: Pexels

"I did everything in my power to keep her calm and quiet. I shushed her, and made sure her little feet didn’t kick your seat," the mother wrote.

"She had been up since early morning. She hadn’t eaten much because she didn’t want airport food. She was recovering from the tail end of a sinus infection, and I wondered if the pressure from the altitude hurt her ears. She was exhausted and fussy," she continued.

"You did not let up with your mutters of annoyance and looks over your shoulder. You even shoved the back of the sear towards us. I apologised to everyone around me. I almost started crying myself. I was feeling shame and guilt for not being able to control my own child."

Luckily, help was soon at hand; "I was at the end of my rope, but then, an angel to the rescue- the flight attendant came by and gave my daughter a cup and straw to play with."

"And just like that, the screams stopped and my baby was suddenly content. The kind attendant told us, 'It’s ok! Flying is tough on everyone, and you are both doing great!' Somehow, her kindness calmed my baby. Somehow, her simple words made me feel better. She was right. We were doing great! We were doing our best, and that’s as great as it gets."

Stephanie then proceeded to thoroughly put the man in his place. "The problem wasn’t with us, it was with you," she asserted. "What you need to know, is that while children can be terribly inconvenient now, they will run the world when you are old and grey."

"Kids can be annoying and downright obnoxious, but they are also innovative and brilliant [...] They may grow up to serve others in a way that makes us wish we could go in time back and do it all over again. They are the future. They are gifts to their family, to their community, and to the world. We will need them one day, and they need us now [...] If you can’t muster up a smile and a hello, then simple silence will do just fine."

"I get it, kids can be a nuisance, but next time you are forced to be near one, I hope that you will be more like the flight attendant. I hope that instead of frustration and annoyance, you feel hope and goodness. This world certainly has enough negativity without us adding to it, and just maybe the kindness you give out today, will be returned to you in the future."

Good on you, Stephanie!