Anonymous wrote:Not cool. I would not leave young kids and/or tween/teen girls on their own on a plane.

Here's a more heart-warming story: I was on a flight from CA yesterday. Across the aisle, the husband in an older South Asian couple was offered an upgrade to first class. He said no and tried to get his wife to take the seat. She said no too. They both wound up staying in their window/middle seats in economy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not cool. I would not leave young kids and/or tween/teen girls on their own on a plane.

Here's a more heart-warming story: I was on a flight from CA yesterday. Across the aisle, the husband in an older South Asian couple was offered an upgrade to first class. He said no and tried to get his wife to take the seat. She said no too. They both wound up staying in their window/middle seats in economy.

Waaaat they sound like martyrs. Older so no young kids to take care of and presumably married for a while… they should not need to be attached at the hip!!

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Anonymous wrote:Smart dad. They’re not toddlers.

Smart dad because he outsourced his kids’ needs to the people flying in economy? I don’t want to sit next to someone else’s kids. It’s going to make me feel responsible for them and I resent that.

Look, this thread is about whether people would judge. Yes, I’m going to judge.

Your feeling responsible despite not actually BEING responsible is your own issue. Nobody's fault but your own.

Oh god, I know the type. They feel like no one is taking care of things and interject where they are not needed or wanted.

These are the same mothers that show up to their adult children's job interviews or call their college professors demanding a grade change for their snowflake.

I’m the PP who is resentful that I may have to step in and parent your “perfect” children.

I’ve been in this situation. The “perfect” child next to me repeatedly got up/down to the bathroom, kept dropping things I had to retrieve, needed to go talk to mom, needed help with headphones, etc. I had to step in several times and help because real Mom was too busy ignoring her own responsibilities, probably assuming her “perfect” child wasn’t bothering anyone.

Look, you do you. If you’re comfortable throwing your children on other people so you can fly in peace, then just own it and know people judge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart dad. They’re not toddlers.

Smart dad because he outsourced his kids’ needs to the people flying in economy? I don’t want to sit next to someone else’s kids. It’s going to make me feel responsible for them and I resent that.

Look, this thread is about whether people would judge. Yes, I’m going to judge.

Your feeling responsible despite not actually BEING responsible is your own issue. Nobody's fault but your own.

Oh god, I know the type. They feel like no one is taking care of things and interject where they are not needed or wanted.

These are the same mothers that show up to their adult children's job interviews or call their college professors demanding a grade change for their snowflake.

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Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone take issue with this? The kids aren’t infants. They’re 40 feet away at most, in an enclosed space.

We have our kids fly First/Business with us when we can, but often (particularly on domestic flights) there won’t be enough seats available. Kids get demoted first. They’re small, know how to fly/behave, and again—not infants who need a parent nearby.

It’s awkward for the adults who have to ride next to your young children. We end up stepping in for you when all we want is a quiet ride to our destination.

Of course I’m going to think of you as selfish and detached. It’s hard not to as I’m helping your child open a snack, etc.

My 10 year old knows how to open a bag of pretzels, thanks.

If you spoke to or otherwise interacted with him beyond maybe an initial head nod or “hello” when first sitting down, he’d have his guard up about you being a weirdo.

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Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone take issue with this? The kids aren’t infants. They’re 40 feet away at most, in an enclosed space.

We have our kids fly First/Business with us when we can, but often (particularly on domestic flights) there won’t be enough seats available. Kids get demoted first. They’re small, know how to fly/behave, and again—not infants who need a parent nearby.

It’s awkward for the adults who have to ride next to your young children. We end up stepping in for you when all we want is a quiet ride to our destination.

Of course I’m going to think of you as selfish and detached. It’s hard not to as I’m helping your child open a snack, etc.

My 10 year old knows how to open a bag of pretzels, thanks.

If you spoke to or otherwise interacted with him beyond maybe an initial head nod or “hello” when first sitting down, he’d have his guard up about you being a weirdo.

Having sat next to a kid of that age who needed my help, I can tell you it happens.

And if there’s extreme turbulence or, horrifically, an extreme change in cabin pressure, are you expecting me to fill in for you?

The whole “child before you” part of the safety presentation is supposed to be about my own children, not yours.

My kid had functioning brain cells and would know what to do. Again these are teens not toddlers. You on the other hand . . .

OP didn’t say they were teens. One was a tween, one was a child. Huge difference between that age and a 15 year old. I would not sit apart from my 8 year old, and sorry but I’m fine being judgy about a parent sitting up in first class and leaving a kid that young in coach.

Anonymous wrote:As the older sibling in this scenario, I hated it when I had to be in charge of my younger siblings. It affected my relationship with my parents for a long time and impacted my choice of when and if I was going to be a parent myself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart dad. They’re not toddlers.

Smart dad because he outsourced his kids’ needs to the people flying in economy? I don’t want to sit next to someone else’s kids. It’s going to make me feel responsible for them and I resent that.

Look, this thread is about whether people would judge. Yes, I’m going to judge.

Your feeling responsible despite not actually BEING responsible is your own issue. Nobody's fault but your own.

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Anonymous wrote:Did none of you fly when you were teens? I had to deal with harassment on flights and I would never subject my young daughters to that without me nearby.

So if you sat nearby you would subject them to harassment. Weird.

You are a complete idiot. When I travel, I sit with my kids.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone take issue with this? The kids aren’t infants. They’re 40 feet away at most, in an enclosed space.

We have our kids fly First/Business with us when we can, but often (particularly on domestic flights) there won’t be enough seats available. Kids get demoted first. They’re small, know how to fly/behave, and again—not infants who need a parent nearby.

It’s awkward for the adults who have to ride next to your young children. We end up stepping in for you when all we want is a quiet ride to our destination.

Of course I’m going to think of you as selfish and detached. It’s hard not to as I’m helping your child open a snack, etc.

My 10 year old knows how to open a bag of pretzels, thanks.

If you spoke to or otherwise interacted with him beyond maybe an initial head nod or “hello” when first sitting down, he’d have his guard up about you being a weirdo.

Your ten year old still can need help. It's not just snacks. If you cannot sit with your 10 year old, leave them home with the nanny who actually raises them.