While mums are busy flooding online forums with questions about what to pack in the first aid kit and whether theyll be allowed to take the pram into the cabin, other travellers are bracing for the inevitable chaos beside them. Lately, its become quite the thing. At first, a few would try to shame disgruntled passengers, reminding everyone that children are to be cherished. Now, people openly call for airlines to create almost separate sections to keep everyone apart. When did this happen?
Wishing you a pleasant flight!
At what point did it become trendy not to close yourself off from life just because youve had a child? People are off to work, maintaining busy social lives, going to events, even travelling as much as their hearts desireregardless of the childs age. Our mothers never lived in such grand style, nor would it have crossed their minds. I struggle to picture a 1960s mum taking her newborn out to a restaurant, for example. Even a decade later it seems unthinkable. Back then, this would have been seen as the utmost luxury, and there was logic in it.
No matter how much someone wishes to deny it, a long journey with a child is nerve-wracking for everyone involvedparents and child alike. You need to put in extra effort for everyones comfort. Yet, many simply dont want to do that. As soon as the holiday begins, relaxation mode is switched on, and the children are left to fend for themselves. Thus, everyone else is left at their mercy.
Lets be honesteverybody wants to fly in comfort. No ones happy to sit through even two hours of racket after forking out a pretty penny for their ticket. Passengers grumble enough about the legroom, let alone when a five-year-old behind them discovers the seatback swings marvellously if you just keep kicking it. To this day, Ive never seen anyone respond to that with a grin and try to play horsey with the child.
The Vanishing Crèche
I once tried my best to be civil. When a woman with a baby of less than one year sat down beside me, my heart sank. But as it turned out, that was just the beginning. Her family included more children, scattered conveniently in front, behind, and on all sides. They were sprawled out, talking over one another, passing bottles and dummies down the rows. The only thing left was for me to be invited to join the family. To be honest, it was dreadful. I was constantly asked to hold this or thatnever a please in earshotand more than once found myself nearly scalded by steaming water from a thermos. Splendid. There was nowhere to escape; I nearly jumped out the window.
Another time, on a train, I watched a mum entertaining her four-year-old daughter for all twenty-six hours rattling down the rails. She made every effort to keep her child from disturbing othersshe really did. But the result? The carriage heard endless, Darling, lets go here, Sweetheart, lets go there, Shall we look out the window?, Lets draw a picture. Which turned into forty minutes of enthusiastic out-loud colouring with an extensive selection of crayons and every variety of kittens and puppies you could imagine. Its hard to know which is worse.
Who could blame anyone for quietly wishing parents would just stay home until their youngsters have grown a bit? If your child is calm enough to colour in silence for three hours, head down, eyelids droopingits fine. But are there really children like that?
And thats not mentioning the babies who screech on takeoff, on landing, and at every little jolt. It used to be thered be just one per flight, if that. Now there are three or five. Add in their relentlessly cheerful siblings leaping up and down the aisle, and you exit that cabin at the same speed you flew.
Let me be clearI am not against children. Ive experienced travel with a little one myself. Honestly, it was only out of necessity. I simply havent the stamina to care for a child while supposed to be on holiday. I waited until my child reached an age where I could give clear, simple instructions: Sit here, keep your hands to yourself; dont touch anything. Thats as close as you get to waiting patiently without getting the colouring pencils out. Yet, most parents dont see things that waythey bring a whole box of developmental activities along, keep the kids running up and down, claiming it is vital for growing bodies, and leave it at that.
Today, as I look back, I realise: everyone wants their bit of comfort, but living together in public means we all have to share the spaceand patience is a far undervalued currency.
