I (30F) was on a plane and a little girl (around 7 or 8) was kicking the back of my seat. I believe children are people, so I turned around and said, cheerfully and with a smile, “hi! Would you please stop kicking the back of my seat? Thank you!” Her mom immediately snapped at me “don’t you DARE talk to her!” She was so angry that I just jumped a little and turned to face forward. I kind of wanted to leave my body lol. I understand her being mad if I was rude or obnoxious to her kid, but I was very polite and just talked to the kid like she was a person. I didn’t ask her parent to ask her to stop kicking my seat because I didn’t want to talk about her in front of her, like she didn’t exist except as an annoyance to me. AITAH?
AITAH for asking a child to stop kicking the back of my seat?
r/AITAH
Comments
NTA lol. Keep control of your kid.
NTA, I would have responded “then keep a better eye on her and not let her act like a heathen” but then I’d be the…
NTA but that was time to call the flight attendant
nta
Generally, I wouldn’t talk to someone else’s kid unless they initiated the conversation. Even then, I’d keep it very short.
However, considering the kid’s mom is a giant sack of assholes, you were more or less forced to bring it up.
NTA
Lol of course NTA. People act like kids are somehow immune from common sense and conversation.
NTA, now you know why the kid acts that way
My go to line is, what a remarkable display of bad parenting, while looking at the parent dead in the face
NTA. Honestly, even if you were a little rude, a parent shouldn’t instinctively defend every action their child does. A rude reaction is the inevitable result of a kid being annoying in public. Parents who “protect” their kids from that will raise little brats. They’re the sort whose kid is always in trouble at school, “but it’s always the teacher’s fault.”
NTA
I would do a total stare down of the useless mom and her little brat kid.
7 or 8 and kicking the seat?? Not acceptable.
Did she stop?
If you don’t want people talking to your kid, make sure they are courteous enough not to annoy people.
NTA
NTA. The kid was old enough to know they shouldn’t be kicking the seat, and also to be spoken to directly.
If the kid was much younger—say, 3 or 4—then it would have been more appropriate to make the request of the parent instead.
Had that same thing happen, I hate it! I turned around and straight (with a mean face) asked the parent to stop their kid from kicking my seat. Luckily I didn’t have to escalate it.
Say ‘sure thing, could you actually do your job as a parent and have your brat of a daughter stop kicking my damn seat, you obnoxious moron?’
NTA. Mom is unhinged. Hope she stopped kicking your seat though?
NTA you behaved in a proper manner. However when mom snapped I would’ve snapped back at her.
Poor kid. Having a mum like that.
NTA and I hope this doesn’t put you off of speaking up in the future. Not all parents are like that
I would have taught the kid all the bad words
NTA
NTA. You were being polite. At that point, I would have just called the FA.
NTA. Comeback: fine, then either you stop your kid from kicking my seat or I talk to the steward.
The mother sounds like an AH.
I spent my time in the front seat with my son kicking the back of my seat. When I took him for his DL I got in the back seat and kicked the back of his seat all the way home. He learned his lesson. It was funny, he got it. ✌️
I hope you reclined your seat as far back as it would go.
Get a grip lady! Obviously she didn’t think to reprimand her daughter rather than last out at you because she has no idea how to parent her child. I would have told my daughter to stop immediately and apologize to you for her daughter’s actions.
NTA but the proper response to the mom would have been to smile really big, and say “Well, if you weren’t such a fucking shitty parent, I wouldn’t fucking have to, would I?” prior to turning back around.
NTA you met a wild Karen. They suck
NTA. Parent of the child – do your ducking job and control your brat!
You are NOT the AH. Absolutely not.
To the child… Are you OK? You are kicking the back of my seat and it is quite disturbing to me. If you are nervous or scared, I understand, but please stop kicking the back of my seat. To Mom…Sorry, but can you monitor or prevent the constant kicking? It’s really uncomfortable and distracting. Is there anything I can do to help? If an adult approach doesn’t get results call the flight attendant!
The parent is the AH and you’re more than OK to ask her to stop. I’m a bit confused by your comment that you believe children are people though. Like of course they’re people. This sort of implies that the general consensus is that they’re not?
Definitely nta. I’m a parent to a child this age. Didn’t even need to tell them on plane not to kick seat. They know. Even 4 year old knew. The only child I repeatedly asked not to was my under 2 year old. I asked repeatedly, held feet. Person in front of him on multiple flights actually told me it was ok because they could hear me and wanted to reassure me. This is a huge parenting issue.
NTA.
no guilt-let flight attendant take care of this
NTA. I have kids, if someone asked my kid nicely to stop kicking their seat, I’d apologise for the fact they had been doing it without me realising.
“Oh, sorry, so you’re okay with this behaviour? You’re okay with your child acting like a brat in public? And you’re ok with what that says about you as a parent?”
nta