As a family was boarding their flight ( footage from actual airport incidents , on "Airport" ), the 5 or 6yr. old daughter threw a tantrum ; refusing to get on the plane .The entire family went back to the gate to convince the child to get on the plane .When that failed , the father stayed behind to take the girl home , while the mom opted to take the flight with her son .Discovering that her husband has left with the boy's luggage , the mother again gets off the plane and cancels the whole trip to her family reunion.
2006-09-13 08:53:50 · 11 answers · asked by missmayzie 7 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
I personally think something like this should be ignored. If a child of that age throws a tantrum refusing to get on a plane, and the parents say nothing and just get on the plane, the child would run after the parents, not wanting to get lost. It is attention seeking and the child got what she wanted - attention. If she was ignored then she would get on the plane and try something else.
2006-09-13 09:00:17 · answer #1 · answered by Matt S 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The little girl may have been so terrified of flying that her parents didn't want to take the chance of trying to force her to spend hours on a plane in terror. Its very decent of them to not attempt to force the child on the plane. They were probably also considering the horribly upset child within the context of other passengers and the whole, general, picture of needing the right behavior on planes these days. They may have considered that they didn't want their daughter to learn that when she's afraid they won't do anything to help her feel better. She could be a child with other "issues" that weren't obvious to strangers, but that the parents know how they must handle some things with that particular child.
Maybe it was case of how important the destination was too. Maybe if they were headed to the deathbed of someone's mother they would have had no choice but to disregard the kid's fear and drag her on the plane. Maybe nobody cared a whole lot about the reunion anyway. Maybe it was only a one-afternoon affair anyway.
Having children is a challenge, and it means many things don't always go smoothly. Given the parents' choices, they probably handled it the right way.
Some people believe that trusting their lives to pilots and airplanes isn't something they wish to do. They may know there are other risks in life that they can't avoid, but they may prefer not to risk being killed in a plane crash (or in the case people like little girls and boys in particular by a terrorist incident - and they know what's going on at that age).
Whether anyone agrees with a child who feels this way (and they do know what they want and think at that age) or not, the little girl should have the right not to place her own life at what she sees as a risk she doesn't want to take because someone else decides she should.
If the girl was thinking as I'm guessing she may have been, it isn't just because she's little. Many, many, adults choose to know that if their life is ended it isn't going to be because of pilot error or a bomb in a plane.
I believe that parents, for the most part, have no right to make the decision to place someone else's life (in this case their own child's) at risk. I believe children should grow up, become 18 or 21, and decide what risks they want to take for themselves.
The parents could have left the children with someone and gone to the reunion without expecting children to be thrilled about travelling for one reason or another. The parent who had the relatives with the reunion could have gone alone. They could have gotten a reading on how bad the kid felt about getting on a plane beforehand (although maybe she didn't panic until boarding time).
Its stinky that they missed the reunion, but they'll all get over it; and some day that little girl may decide she wants to become a flight attendant because most fears that children have pass anyway.....
2006-09-13 16:20:01 · answer #2 · answered by WhiteLilac1 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Before 9/11 I would have said (I am a parent myself) pick that child up and take them on the plane by force. However, being that kids have heard of or seen the images of planes flying into the world trade center, the pentagon and a field, as well as clips ON TV of the related movies and recent news stories talking about 'what really happened inside the world trade center' etc you cannot be sure if or how much exposure that child has had. She may very well have been terrified to fly and guess what-so am I and thousands of other people-ADULTS as well as children. So, given the circumstances I think the child's behaviour was understandable and forgiveable. A parent should always put their childrens needs, safety and feelings of safety before their own.
2006-09-13 16:16:25 · answer #3 · answered by MAK 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the first answer...the parents should have ignored the behavior and the child would have followed. they also could have physically lifted the child and carried her on the plane. Whatever they did (I don't think they should have been slapped), giving in to the tantrum and letting the child "get her way" only reinforced that behavior and I think the parents are in for many more tantrums in the future. I would have struck a deal with the child, something like giving them candy for getting calmly on the plane, as carrying them might cause a scene and get you expelled from the flight and the child (presumably through past tantrums and getting their way) might not have come when ignored (she has probably learned in the past that parents will give in eventually so she could wait them out for several hours).
2006-09-13 16:04:56 · answer #4 · answered by michaelscar 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not enough info. Why did the girl have a tantrum? Shades of 9/11? They should have figured out, if it was fear of flying, long before that. Now if she was just acting up she's got behavioral issues and needs serious counseling. But probably from what it sounds like family is to some extent enabling her and if so they need counseling too. Punishment woudl depend on details you didn't give - might not be appropriate.
2006-09-13 16:04:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The child should already have known that when "mom" or "dad" says to stop throwing a fit and get on the plane then they should already by that age have been old enough to obey. All the parents did was teach the child that if they throw a fit then they get their way. Not good.
2006-09-13 17:34:41 · answer #6 · answered by eileen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell no! That lady was a fool! How could you let a child's tantrum destroy your trip. My son ruined my New Years Party last year. He was telling me what to do and what food he wanted to eat (mostly mac n cheese and cereal) I made a promise to be firmer and let him know I was the boss! He had pushed me around long enough!
The problem with us parents today is that we feel so guilty all the time that we let our kids do what they want. Parents need to take back their authority. We are the Boss! Not them. We need to teach our kids to behave!!! And stop feeling guilty!
We eat the same food now and believe me I am a lot firmer now.
2006-09-13 16:02:20 · answer #7 · answered by cutencurley_05 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kids have too many options. when i was a child you did as you were told and that was that. We were not given 10 different scenarios to chose from. i find it hard to believe that a 5 year old can make a parent do anything.
2006-09-13 16:03:28 · answer #8 · answered by patricia_hyland72 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm afraid I'm a bit 'old school' with such issues. The child should have been dealt a good slap at some point and such things would never happen. They are doing him no favours, just imagine what a spoilt obnoxious adult he is going to be!
2006-09-13 16:00:48 · answer #9 · answered by billofthebailey 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I do not spank my child but I think that may be one time I did. My daughter is 5 and she knows better.
2006-09-13 16:02:37 · answer #10 · answered by Sonya 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋