Stranger Calms Little Boy On Flight So Pregnant Mom Can Rest

Little boy gets fussy on flight, stranger calms him down in act of airline kindness

Can this guy be on our next flight please? How about all future flights? Instead of complaining about a crying child, a man on a flight stepped up and did something about it.

A little boy on a plane was fussy and upset. His mom was pregnant and traveling alone, so the man — who is a stranger to this family — did what any kind human would do. He helped her. He told the woman that he’s a dad and wanted to help so she could rest. Fellow passenger Andrea Byrd overheard the whole thing and posted the touching story on Facebook.

Byrd said in her post that the man walked the aisle most of the flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta soothing the woman’s son just like it was his own. That’s a two and a half hour flight, people.

The woman who posted this photo admitted she was in tears. So are we honey. So are we.

What’s really sad is that we always hear about the opposite happening on flights. Moms are often shamed for bringing their crying babies on planes. OMFG – babies cry??!! You’re kidding me?! Moms with toddlers are given serious side-eye when their small humans won’t sit still for a whole flight. Excuse us, but getting a toddler to sit still quietly for an entire plane ride is not the easiest thing in the world.

I was traveling alone with my two kids who were two and three years old at the time from New York to Atlanta. My kids entertained themselves with all of the coloring books and toys we packed while we sat delayed on the runway for an hour and a half. Right before take off I was going to start a movie for them, but my computer — that I charged fully before we left — would not turn on. The thing was dead. I proceeded to do what any desperate mom would do: attempted to entertain my children with literally whatever was in my purse – keys, tampons, chapstick, you name it. They were giggling for a while when a woman behind us said, “SHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhUUUUSSSHHH.”

I got up from my seat and said, “If you have an issue with my kids, you need to address me. Their mother. Not my kids.”

A man about three rows back piped up, “She wouldn’t have to if you’d do something about your kids.”

My kids were laughing.

Hmm, OK buddy. What do you suggest exactly? Give them Xanax and wine? Maybe you need the Xanax and wine to chill out.

Should you teach your kid manners? Yes. When your kids are old enough, should you discuss flight etiquette? Yes. Should you discipline your child when they act a fool in any public setting? Abso-friggin-lutely.

And while I’m a fan of Byrd using the hashtag #realmentakeaction at the end of her Facebook post, I’d like to tweak it just a little bit to say #realhumanstakeaction because really everyone, regardless of if they’re a parent or not should help other humans. Little humans cry. Kids cry. Kids laugh. Kids complain. Instead of griping and complaining, we should be having compassion. Travel would be so much easier if we all just helped each other out a bit more, like this dad.