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Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,226
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child

A familiar story.  A child won't stop crying, on a transatlantic flight.  This time, it is a special needs child, and a very very special, caring woman who makes a difference.

 

http://www.southernliving.com/news/charlotte-woman-soothes-stranger-on-flight?utm_campaign=southernl...

 

Stories like this give us hope-- love to hear them!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,159
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child


@Oznell wrote:

A familiar story.  A child won't stop crying, on a transatlantic flight.  This time, it is a special needs child, and a very very special, caring woman who makes a difference.

 

http://www.southernliving.com/news/charlotte-woman-soothes-stranger-on-flight?utm_campaign=southernl...

 

Stories like this give us hope-- love to hear them!


 

@Oznell  She is a professional so knew what to do.  I don't think the average person would know how to handle a situation like that.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child


@mousiegirl wrote:

@Oznell wrote:

A familiar story.  A child won't stop crying, on a transatlantic flight.  This time, it is a special needs child, and a very very special, caring woman who makes a difference.

 

http://www.southernliving.com/news/charlotte-woman-soothes-stranger-on-flight?utm_campaign=southernl...

 

Stories like this give us hope-- love to hear them!


 

@Oznell  She is a professional so knew what to do.  I don't think the average person would know how to handle a situation like that.


 

 

I agree. The average person wouldn't have a clue - and could possibly unintentionally make things worse. The best intentions in the world could backfire if they are used without knowledge. This was nice, what happened, but I don't think one can or should assume that the average person would have the same result.

 

Being kind to the parent, however, anyone could do, and ask if there was some way they might help.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
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Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child

Inspiring and uplifting.

 

Thank you for sharing this, Oznell.

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Posts: 18,226
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Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child

Very good point, mousiegirl.  But I somehow don't discount that fact that a humanitarian impulse of that sort can move to action people with no experience too.  It does take courage to do what she did, with a perfect stranger whose diagnosis or challenges she does not know.

 

It also said Rachel, the passenger is shy.  I've noticed that in extreme circumstances, shy people can exert themselves in ways that are surprising.  And, although it isn't the main point of the story, the reaching out of an Orthodox Jewish woman to a Muslim family, identifiable by their dress, is a sweet metaphor, I think.

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Registered: ‎06-17-2015

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child


@mousiegirl wrote:

@Oznell wrote:

A familiar story.  A child won't stop crying, on a transatlantic flight.  This time, it is a special needs child, and a very very special, caring woman who makes a difference.

 

http://www.southernliving.com/news/charlotte-woman-soothes-stranger-on-flight?utm_campaign=southernl...

 

Stories like this give us hope-- love to hear them!


 

@Oznell  She is a professional so knew what to do.  I don't think the average person would know how to handle a situation like that.


@mousiegirl  Yes, she was but she also said that the "average person" can ask if there is something that they can do....giving the parents the options of saying yes you can do xyz or no, there is nothing you can do.

 

 

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh
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Posts: 175
Registered: ‎07-23-2017

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child

She's a professional, she knew what to do but I disagree with the idea that anyone can say "is there anything I can do?".  Yes, anyone can say that just to be saying it but the reality is that if you don't KNOW what do or how to approach the child and especially know  what NOT to do or say.....you're likely to make things worse.  The mother obviously knows here child and his stressors and she knew full well that he would not be able tolerate being on a long plane ride.  She should have been prepared, perhaps had a doctor prescribe a mild sedative.  The child was fortunate that a professional was there to help.  Another reason to travel with noice cancelling headphones.  

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Posts: 65,680
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child


@mousiegirl wrote:

@Oznell wrote:

A familiar story.  A child won't stop crying, on a transatlantic flight.  This time, it is a special needs child, and a very very special, caring woman who makes a difference.

 

http://www.southernliving.com/news/charlotte-woman-soothes-stranger-on-flight?utm_campaign=southernl...

 

Stories like this give us hope-- love to hear them!


 

@Oznell  She is a professional so knew what to do.  I don't think the average person would know how to handle a situation like that.


Actually, I think she more or less made a point of saying that despite an education background, she doesn't consider herself a professional. It sounds as though a good bit of what she did to help was instinctive.


In my pantry with my cupcakes...
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Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child


@Natasha218 wrote:

She's a professional, she knew what to do but I disagree with the idea that anyone can say "is there anything I can do?".  Yes, anyone can say that just to be saying it but the reality is that if you don't KNOW what do or how to approach the child and especially know  what NOT to do or say.....you're likely to make things worse.  The mother obviously knows here child and his stressors and she knew full well that he would not be able tolerate being on a long plane ride.  She should have been prepared, perhaps had a doctor prescribe a mild sedative.  The child was fortunate that a professional was there to help.  Another reason to travel with noice cancelling headphones.  


@Natasha218   I agree somewhat but not every child who acts up this way has special needs.  I think the key here is that this little boy DID have special needs and fortunately the professional was on board. 

 

It was the professional who submitted that the average person can ask, not the posters here.

 

We also do not know what the mother knew about her child in terms of being able to handle the plane ride.  While I agree that the mother has the ultimate responsibility to assess her child's ability to fly (or travel by any other modes) there is no guarantee that the trip would be more comfortable for everyone.

 

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh
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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Airline Passenger Reaches Out To Screaming, Tearful Child

this story is really close to me.

 

I was on a non stop flight from Chicago to Hawaii with my then 6 month old son (he is 44 yr now). He screamed the whole way over. We were living over there while dh was in the military.

 

it was the most miserable flight. Not one passenger would help me. All i got was yelled at by the attendants to keep my baby quiet which i tried anything and everything. My son would not stop screaming. I was crying myself near the end of the flight. I was just a miserable wreck.  I would never recommend a long flight or really any flight with small children.