Sooo am I just the best parent ever or are the others complete duds?

[Anonymous]

Planes are not the quiet car. Yes I do chat with my spouse or kids on the plane. Using a device without headphones is not acceptable (no one wants to hear noises from a video game or the audio to whatever you are watching) but talking to each other or reading out loud to your kids is fine.

There is generally enough white noise from the engines that I can't really hear anything a normal conversation level unless someone is right next to me.

[Anonymous]

And I don’t know what time of time she spends with her kids but anyone who spends a lot of time with one another doesn’t need to talk on the plane. It is more people who don’t see one another much would be the ones who want to spend all this quality time together on the plane.

My neighbor is a SAhM to 4 kids. She spends all day everyday with the kids. She is just trying to survive the flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Planes are not the time for conversation! If you and your spouse fly together someplace are you chatting? No! You’re watching Netflix or plane entertainment.

Yes I chat with my spouse on the plane all the time. We also read and watch movies. Do you think everyone is supposed to be silent the entire time on a plane?

[Anonymous]

Also most parents have spent the entire summer with their kids. I can’t wait for my kids to go back to school.

I hate to make this a working mom thing but op probably sent her kids to camp or had a nanny all summer. Any mom who has spent the past 3 months taking kids to the pool and library every week does not need to be reading to them on the plane. My kids can read on their own. My 7yo must have read at least 50 books this summer. You can judge her on the plane. I am glad to watch some movies as is she.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And I don’t know what time of time she spends with her kids but anyone who spends a lot of time with one another doesn’t need to talk on the plane. It is more people who don’t see one another much would be the ones who want to spend all this quality time together on the plane.

My neighbor is a SAhM to 4 kids. She spends all day everyday with the kids. She is just trying to survive the flight.

I talk to my spouse and kids at home but uh we also talk on planes. Not like nonstop or anything but we'll have a conversation.

I don't get the whole "I'm just trying to survive the flight" thing either. Flying is not that difficult. Sure there are times when it's a huge hassle -- if you are on a flight that got delayed or you wind up with some huge annoyance like getting stuck on the tarmac for an hour before take off or horrible turbulence. But most flights are just... fine. I'm not in crisis and reaching for iPads to shut up kids because otherwise I just won't make it. And that includes on international flights. Kids will watch devices some (on an international flight usually at least one movie and if a very long flight of 10+ at least two). But also we will talk and play games and read.

Travel is not some horrible hardship. And if traveling with kids is so difficult that you simply must placate them with devices the whole time then maybe don't travel so much. It's optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Planes are not the time for conversation! If you and your spouse fly together someplace are you chatting? No! You’re watching Netflix or plane entertainment.

Yes I chat with my spouse on the plane all the time. We also read and watch movies. Do you think everyone is supposed to be silent the entire time on a plane?

NP. As quiet as possible, yes. You might need to have a hushed conversation with someone, but unnecessary talking is rude. No one wants to hear your conversation, people are trying to read, trying to sleep, and you're jabbering away like a monkey. It's loathsome.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we have done a million puzzles, arts and crafts, games, legos, dress up for hours per day. I can sit quietly in peace on a plane.

Dh and I fell asleep on our recent flight while DD was on her iPad and flight attendant piled on waiting on her. She loved it. She apparently ordered everything she could and had multiple meals and snacks.

[Anonymous]

I'm laughing at a 3 hour plane ride and "elementary aged kids" - yeah, wait until you have teens or you actually fly somewhere that isn't Disney world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I don’t know what time of time she spends with her kids but anyone who spends a lot of time with one another doesn’t need to talk on the plane. It is more people who don’t see one another much would be the ones who want to spend all this quality time together on the plane.

My neighbor is a SAhM to 4 kids. She spends all day everyday with the kids. She is just trying to survive the flight.

I talk to my spouse and kids at home but uh we also talk on planes. Not like nonstop or anything but we'll have a conversation.

I don't get the whole "I'm just trying to survive the flight" thing either. Flying is not that difficult. Sure there are times when it's a huge hassle -- if you are on a flight that got delayed or you wind up with some huge annoyance like getting stuck on the tarmac for an hour before take off or horrible turbulence. But most flights are just... fine. I'm not in crisis and reaching for iPads to shut up kids because otherwise I just won't make it. And that includes on international flights. Kids will watch devices some (on an international flight usually at least one movie and if a very long flight of 10+ at least two). But also we will talk and play games and read.

Travel is not some horrible hardship. And if traveling with kids is so difficult that you simply must placate them with devices the whole time then maybe don't travel so much. It's optional.

We travel often, maybe 10x per year. Travel is not a hardship. We are seasoned travelers. We went to Asia twice and Europe twice this year.

For some families, it is difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Planes are not the time for conversation! If you and your spouse fly together someplace are you chatting? No! You’re watching Netflix or plane entertainment.

Yes I chat with my spouse on the plane all the time. We also read and watch movies. Do you think everyone is supposed to be silent the entire time on a plane?

Right? On a 20 hour flight I'm pretty sure folks are talking. Again though - the OP is probably someone who thinks she is a great parent for going to Branson or Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Planes are not the time for conversation! If you and your spouse fly together someplace are you chatting? No! You’re watching Netflix or plane entertainment.

Yes I chat with my spouse on the plane all the time. We also read and watch movies. Do you think everyone is supposed to be silent the entire time on a plane?

NP. As quiet as possible, yes. You might need to have a hushed conversation with someone, but unnecessary talking is rude. No one wants to hear your conversation, people are trying to read, trying to sleep, and you're jabbering away like a monkey. It's loathsome.

THIS! I hate plane talkers. I bet PP is one of those people who talks to strangers on planes too.

I love a good airport bar chat and am hardly antisocial, but once on the plane, STFU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 hour flight? With an elementary schooler? And a preschooler? Big deal. You don’t sound like an experienced flyer as elementary schoolers who are trained properly are amazing fliers. Three hours is short.

But keep patting yourself on the back I guess.

Agree - when we took my 3 year old to Asia, we used the iPad. She spent a lot of time watching videos in Korean. She's now a trilingual teen who has traveled to several countries without me.

But yeah, your elementary school kid doing puzzles is very impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Planes are not the time for conversation! If you and your spouse fly together someplace are you chatting? No! You’re watching Netflix or plane entertainment.

Yes I chat with my spouse on the plane all the time. We also read and watch movies. Do you think everyone is supposed to be silent the entire time on a plane?

NP. As quiet as possible, yes. You might need to have a hushed conversation with someone, but unnecessary talking is rude. No one wants to hear your conversation, people are trying to read, trying to sleep, and you're jabbering away like a monkey. It's loathsome.

Uh if you need this level of silence on a plane then you need to invest in noise-canceling headphones.

The only time I think it's rude for people to talk on a plane is on a red-eye. But even then I assume it will happen and I bring headphones and an eye mask so I can shut them out.

Expecting total silence on a plane or for people to ONLY speak in hushed tones and only if absolutely necessary is psychotic. Save your money and book one of the little private booths up in 1st class if that's important to you. Otherwise if you are back in coach with the hoi poloi you can assume people will talk and make noise. Suck it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was on a 3-hour flight. Packed books, toys, cards and travel games to engage our preschooler and elementary schooler. Spent the rest of the time talking, reading quietly together, closing our eyes. Walked down the aisle a few times for bathroom trips, and each time, every single other family - kid on iPad, parent scrolling X or Instagram on their phone.

What gives?

(Ready for flames for being holier-than-thou, but seriously, what gives? Travel time is great for talking and engaging)

Shrug. I do the same for my 2 year old. Every time we’ve flown I’ve gotten comments from my neighbors how surprised they are I can keep DS quiet and engaged without screens. He’s definitely sitting still - he climbs all over his seat and me but he stays quiet and does not disturb other passengers. But I also don’t judge the other parents for using screens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I don’t know what time of time she spends with her kids but anyone who spends a lot of time with one another doesn’t need to talk on the plane. It is more people who don’t see one another much would be the ones who want to spend all this quality time together on the plane.

My neighbor is a SAhM to 4 kids. She spends all day everyday with the kids. She is just trying to survive the flight.

I talk to my spouse and kids at home but uh we also talk on planes. Not like nonstop or anything but we'll have a conversation.

I don't get the whole "I'm just trying to survive the flight" thing either. Flying is not that difficult. Sure there are times when it's a huge hassle -- if you are on a flight that got delayed or you wind up with some huge annoyance like getting stuck on the tarmac for an hour before take off or horrible turbulence. But most flights are just... fine. I'm not in crisis and reaching for iPads to shut up kids because otherwise I just won't make it. And that includes on international flights. Kids will watch devices some (on an international flight usually at least one movie and if a very long flight of 10+ at least two). But also we will talk and play games and read.

Travel is not some horrible hardship. And if traveling with kids is so difficult that you simply must placate them with devices the whole time then maybe don't travel so much. It's optional.

Oh, I'll let my friend who just flew her kids down to FL because her mother died unexpectedly that that trip was optional.