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)

Which books, toys, cards, and travel games?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, your talking and reading bother other people. You should be quit.

For real there is nothing more aggravating than a mom prattling on loudly about be kind! Ooo look there’s the sea! What is in the sea? Ooo so smart! While being a raging smug b. Too funny, but seriously, STFU.

Amen! I hate this so much. Shut tf up on planes!

Anonymous wrote:Ipads and phones are addictive, and widely accepted in our culture as the standard way to fill time on plane trips, road trips, restaurants, etc.

Most people go along with prevailing cultural standards. You see this also in the insanely high levels of obesity/overweight, helicopter parenting, overbooking kids with activities, etc.

I appreciate your post. I think we all fail as parents in different ways at different times, but that’s not the point. The point is that it’s not normal or healthy for us and our kids to be on screens this much and it’s nice to have a reminder of that.

We have never had a device in public when at a grocery store (or any kind of store), any restaurant or other place to eat, a doctor’s/dentist’s office, a playground/theme park, or in the car if the trip is under three hours. But when we fly, our kids are allowed to use iPads. And it’s actually the only time my husband and I use ours as well. So maybe stop yourself and think that you have no idea how much screen time the kids you see are getting.

You walked down the aisle a few times to go to the bathroom for a 3-hour flight? How annoying for the people around you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, your talking and reading bother other people. You should be quit.

For real there is nothing more aggravating than a mom prattling on loudly about be kind! Ooo look there’s the sea! What is in the sea? Ooo so smart! While being a raging smug b. Too funny, but seriously, STFU.

Ay freakin men.
No one is interested in your one woman performance art Mommy Show.

Are you one of those intensive mothering type?

Parading your kid up and down the aisle or an airplane is obnoxious. Especially since you do make it sound like you did it as part of your distraction regimen.

Anonymous wrote:FYI, your talking and reading bother other people. You should be quit.

For real there is nothing more aggravating than a mom prattling on loudly about be kind! Ooo look there’s the sea! What is in the sea? Ooo so smart! While being a raging smug b. Too funny, but seriously, STFU.

FYI, your talking and reading bother other people. You should be quit.

You literally have no idea what anyone else is dealing with. Perhaps they are not going on vacation as you are but are traveling to a funeral, going home to live with parents after fleeing an abusive spouse, going to care for her sisters kids as her sister undergoes cancer treatment. You know, people take planes for a variety of different reasons.

This attitude about screens in public is so lame and reductive and also just demonstrates that for some parents it’s all about performative parenting. I am with my toddler all the time, no nanny no daycare. I extended bf. I don’t do cry it out. I don’t do pacifiers. If we do go to dinner or on a plane, I’m going to let my older kids and my husband and me - a full time caregiver - have a break if the toddler needs some distraction and I want to enjoy my expensive meal or sit on a plane. You all don’t want to be judged for the decisions you make re childcare and bf-ing, we know, we know. Quit judging others who have different care set ups for enjoying some quiet time in public. I’m not parenting for your approval though so honestly, I couldn’t care less if you get your jollies judging me for napping while my toddler watches coco or whatever on the plane. Enjoy!

My kids could sit quietly since they were 6-months old without me packing anything or giving them ipad. Nothing to do with parenting. The 6-month old was so happy to smile and stare at everyone until he fell asleep at hour two on a 8-hour flight.
They are both very aware of people around them and don't make a sound. I was that kid also.
Now when I fly with my kid, I get the window seat, he gets the next one and I don't have to sit next to a stranger. He can sit still much better than I can and not disturb the seatmate. I think he watched movies because it was cross-Atlantic.
And what do you mean flying is for talking? Shut up.
Those parents may have saved ipad time for such occasion.

Anonymous wrote:

NP-So I’m super judgy about the use of devices for kids in restaurants, and grocery stores (of all the places to need to distract your kids??), but I make a huge exception for travel. That’s A-OK in my book.

Same. I do not use devices ever with the exception of plane travel 1x per year as a courtesy to other passengers.

NP-So I’m super judgy about the use of devices for kids in restaurants, and grocery stores (of all the places to need to distract your kids??), but I make a huge exception for travel. That’s A-OK in my book.

Anonymous wrote:OP is being smug and maybe trolling, but it's also secretly judge the parents who rely 100% on iPads for travel. I have also noticed the families where each person has their device and they all just stare at their personal screen for the duration of the trip. I think it's lazy parenting and wonder if that's what their families are like at home too. I am glad my kid can get through a flight, even an international one, without an ipad. I guess I'm smug too.

Your number one job as a parent on the plane is to ensure your kid is a good traveler - ie, is polite to the flight attendant, quiet, etc. This is not the day to turn them into productive citizens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like you and appreciate your dedication. It is noticeable that even small children can no longer play because they are sitting in fornt of a screen all the time.

I mean the reason you let kids watch movies on a long flight (3 hours isn’t that long) is because they specifically are in a space where they can't play. There isn't room. Those little LED drawing pads are particularly good for flights but no kid is going to want to do one activity for 5 or 6 hours. Your kid shouldn't be running in the aisles on a flight because it's unsafe.

+1. My daughter spent 12 hours in the car on Saturday mostly watching TV, but she gets zero screentime at home most days, and managed to amuse herself in a cabin with no screens for the entire week preceding. Travel time can easily be an exception, not the rule.