Tuesday, January 23, 2007

True Modern Day Heroes

I’m not kidding. I would kiss this flight crew on the mouth.

Flight attendants often deal with obnoxious passengers who won't listen to instructions by kicking them off the plane. But a Massachusetts couple think AirTran Airways went overboard by treating their crying 3-year-old daughter in much the same way.

Julie and Gerry Kulesza and daughter Elly were removed from the flight when the girl refused to take her seat before takeoff, airline officials said Tuesday. But her parents said they just needed a little more time to calm her down.
It is about fucking time that someone stood up to the fami-stapo!! These days children are coddled more and more and more; they are never taught boundaries by their parents; they never learn the difference between home voice and public voice. So the kids grow up never learning that it’s not ok to scream and shout in a public place. And we as a society look the other way because it’s so doggone hard to raise kids these days. This is true. And because I don’t want to deal with the screaming and whining and crying is why I don’t have children. So why should I be subjected to that torture just because at times I need to interact with the rest of humanity?

Parents grow numb to their own children’s demonic behavior so they don’t notice (or care) how fucking annoying a kid kicking your seat or screeching at the top of its lungs can be. It is time that we stand up to them and say, “Hey! You! You raised a fucking brat! Shut it up, or I’ll do it for you!”

And for the last time, when you become a parent, that means you make sacrifices. You can’t go out drinking all night anymore. You can't spend all your money on xBox games living on a diet of Ramen noodles and Mountain Dew. And if your kid can’t shut up and sit tight, then you have to sacrifice air travel. Life is about choices. You made your choice to have children. Now deal with the consequences. We shouldn’t have to be the ones to suffer for your choice.

Does AirTran fly to New York? They’re my new favorite.

4 comments:

Ben Peters said...

As a parent, I suspected that Mr. Grant and his child-averse attitude was undermining an even analysis of the situation. I decided to check the story that was posted in the blog entry. After reading it I think that a 15 minute flight delay for a kid who won't get in her seat is about 14 minutes too many. I mean, the kid was 3 YEARS OLD! That's no baby. For those of you without kids, a 3 year old knows what is going on and DoG is right on in saying that those parents have failed in establishing any boundaries for their kid. That is bad for the child and all of us who have to live with it in the future.

AirTran did the right thing. The parents don't deserve the refund on the tickets, but I understand the PR move on the part of AirTran.

Anonymous said...

Children are coddled to much these days. Are you kidding me Michael. You make it sound like you grew up in some strict, oppressive, prison like atmosphere. I happen to know for a fact that you both coddled and indulged. I agree with you that the screaming three year old and her family should have been kicked off the plane.(That's why I don't take your niece on airplanes, she is a three year old monster). It is not bad children that are the problem. Three year olds act like that sometimes no matter how good they are or how they were raised. That's the thing about young children, they are unpredictable. The problem is lazy parents. As the mother of a five and three year old
I know that every time I do anything with them I have to have a plan B. It might not be as easy and will take more time, but everyone will be happy in the long run. So, to keep your sister from getting on a plane to New York and kicking you in your seat, stop saying things like "shut it up, or I'll do it for you!" It's not the kids fault his/her parents are assholes.

lifeintheG said...

My point was that it is the parents at fault. That’s why I say (think, really – I’ve never actually said anything. I’m as much a part of the “look the other way society” as everyone else), “shut it up” directed towards the parents instead of “shut up, you little brat.”

Second, in regard to coddling, I’m talking about the version of parenting seen often on the subways and buses of New York in which the children roam free - anything goes - while the parent only pays attention to whatever bullshit cellphone game/iPod/conversation they got going on. I’m pretty sure my parents never paid more attention to their PSP than to me.

Matthew Smith said...

Post script - AirTran does fly into New York - possibly Newark but definitly LaGuardia. They lost points with me, however, by painting their planes a few years back with a giant portrait of Elton John.

I know....that's "Sir Elton" to me.