Temper Tantrums and Airplanes

Ok, you may have heard about the recent incident on an AirTran flight. If you haven't you must be living under a rock. What happened was this. A family was on their way back home from a trip, it was the husband and wife and at least 1 kid, a 3 year old girl. Apparently this 3 year old must have had a bad because as soon as they boarded the plane the temper tantrum ensued. And kept going and going. The little girl crawled under her seat and stayed there crying, refusing to get into her seat so she could be strapped in. Well AirTran policy says all passengers must be in their seats with seat belts on before the flight can take off. So all the passengers got to sit their while a 3 year old girl pitched a fit and delayed the flight. After the flight had been delayed for about 15 minutes, AirTran officials removed the family from the plane, so the flight could continue.

You know what I have to say to this? Good for AirTran and shame on those "parents." I use the quotes for one reason. During the entire time this little girl hid under her seat crying and delaying the flight the parents just sat there. It was reported yesterday that the mom had tried to reason with the girl and talk her back in to the seat. .... I mean come on. The girl is 3 years old, reasoning doesn't do anything. Its obvious to me these people are failing as parents. The have no control and no discipline. If it was my daughter, a simple look would have gotten her quiet and docile and ready to go. Now I read in a news story that the family was offered free tickets for a year where ever AirTran flies. And they refused it. What a bunch of ingrates. If I had been in charge I would not have even offered them that, I would have told them they were lucky we hadn't called the police and had them thrown out. Flying is a privilege not right. And if you can't control your kids in public you should not even have them, or at least leave them at home where you won't disturb everyone else. I'll say this one more time, and maybe someone will listen: if you cannot discipline and control your kids then you should not have them. Maybe we can pass some legislation, I'm sure there are parents out there that can't have kids that will do a better job raising them than other people. Lets give the kids to them so the do-nothing whiny people can get back to how they lived before their kids interrupted. What is this world coming to?