[Aggie Mama]

We had the same thing happen with us when our youngest was 2 1/2. We did give him Benedryl before we got on the plan, but it didn't make him sleepy. He screamed for 2 hrs straight. He finally cried himself to sleep on the cabin floor under my seat about 45 minutes before we landed.

Luckily, we had some really great people around us. All of them had "been there and done that".

I think this thread shows the hostility that our society has towards children. It's coated in the niceties of complaining about manners, but it's really about lack of acceptance.

Sometimes, even the best behaved children will act like children.

[clamper1797]

You have to understand that I am not saying that small children don't belong on airplanes. I am saying that parents should TRY to use SOME discretion. Not all people like small children and a constantly crying child can upset the most patient of us.

[elc]

Many parents don't realize that Benadryl can actually have the opposite effect on babies when they are on airplanes.

I have no idea why. But it is apparently so.

When we flew with our 8 month old to Ireland to visit the grandparents (which according to some on this thread was an unnecessary trip), we didn't give her anything to sleep.

But we put numbing drops in her ears and made sure she sucked on a pacifier during take off and landing.

Unfortunately the parents in front of us with the 6 month old did not. But, with the sounds of the plane, the crying wasn't that bad.

[conservativehusker]

My opinion, as one who has two crumb crunchers, is that I only get upset after it's obvious the parent has no intention of disciplining there "darling" or someone who never did discipline them. Thats when I loose all sympathy for the parents. I have flown with my kids and did everything possible to keep them quite. I think it was obvious from my actions that I was concerned.

I have however seen PLENTY of "parents" or people with kids who could care less what precious little johnny does..those of the ones I want to punch out...

[Hoodlum91]

"Sometimes, even the best behaved children will act like children."

And as this thread shows, sometimes adults act like children too.

[Xenalyte]

I think this thread shows the hostility that our society has towards children.

No, we're not child-haters. We tend to like children just fine.

However, we're hostile toward the specific child whose misbehavior is infringing on our ear space right then, and whose parents are clearly doing nothing to stop the acting up.