I have read numerous articles, really "heartwarming" articles about stressed out parents that bring little goody bags onto flights to hand out to their neighbors apologizing for flying with their children. Before I had kids, I thought this was so cute. How sweet of these parents to be so mindful of the people they might be annoying!
Well, this is bullshit. Now that I have children (The Tot is 2 and The Firefly is almost 2 months), I see how ridiculous this is. I will not apologize for my children being children. We are not at a five star restaurant, we are not at the ballet, we are on a plane.... we are in transit somewhere, and I will not apologize for a baby crying or a two year old, being TWO.
Where is my goody bag full of snickers from the drunk guy annoying everyone on the plane? Where are my twizzlers with an apology note from the smelly person who has apparently forgotten to shower this decade? Where the heck are my homemade cookies from the woman who wants to talk the entire flight even though I have made it clear with my headphones that I don't want to talk? Why aren't these people apologizing for their annoying behavior? They don't exist, because we are ADULTS who realize that sometimes when you are in public, you are going to have to deal with a bit of unpleasantness from the people around you.
I have been looking for flights from NY to CA to visit my family before my maternity leave is over and I am ultra aware of other people on the flight. I am trying to plan the day being sensitive to other travelers. I am looking at flights that would be during nap time, I am looking at seats in the back of the plane where it is loud and near the bathroom, I am aware that traveling with two small children and a dog might seem crazy to other travelers, but I am not sorry. My family lives 3000 miles away, and I pay good money to travel to them via plane! I paid the same as everyone else, and I will not apologize for a bit of crying.
When did we as a society decide that children were not welcome? Since becoming a mother, I have realized how unwelcome children are. When we enter a restaurant (and I'm talkin' diner, not 5 star), the looks we get are amazing. When I enter a store, try to shop, go anywhere... we are treated like we do not belong. Is this new? I think it is... growing up, we went everywhere with our parents. My parents took us into nice restaurants, and we behaved, and we were always welcome. When did this change?
Well, I will not be putting together a little note and baggie asking forgiveness from strangers for normal infant and toddler behavior. I will do my best to keep them in check, I won't let them run rampant on the plane, I will discipline when needed, but I will not apologize to you, a stranger for normal behavior. Get your own snickers, and bite me.
The Tot, waiting for the plane last summer
