I’m Bethany, a 35-year-old mother, and what should have been a peaceful two-hour flight turned into an absolute disaster, thanks to an entitled woman who thought she could dictate how I parent my child.

My five-year-old daughter, Ella, was sitting quietly next to me, watching her favorite cartoons on her iPad with her headphones on. She was completely engaged, calm, and most importantly, not disturbing anyone. For any parent traveling with a young child, that’s a win. Unfortunately, the woman sitting across the aisle didn’t see it that way.

She leaned over and, with an air of self-importance, said, “Can you put the iPad away? We’re avoiding screens, and it’s upsetting my son.
I was taken aback. My daughter wasn’t bothering anyone. She wasn’t playing loud music, she wasn’t kicking a seat, she was simply watching a show in her own space. I responded politely but firmly.

“I’m sorry, but she’s using it to stay calm during the flight. It’s not bothering anyone.”
The woman huffed dramatically, her face tightening in irritation. Her son, who hadn’t paid much attention to the iPad before, suddenly started whining loudly.
“I want that! I want the iPad!”
I knew exactly where this was going. The woman looked at me as if expecting me to just hand over my daughter’s device to pacify her child. But that was never going to happen.