Entitled Mom Breaks My Daughter’s iPad on a Flight—And Regrets It Fast

I was flying with my 5-year-old, Ella, and she was happily watching something on her iPad with headphones on. Across the aisle was this boy about the same age, but he kept eyeing Ella’s screen. His whining got louder, and his mom, who I’ll call Entitled Mom (EM), finally tapped me on the shoulder. “We’re being responsible and not giving our son any screen time this trip. Can you put the iPad away? It’s upsetting him.”

I was stunned. “No, sorry. My daughter’s calm and enjoying her show.”

EM’s smile dropped fast. “Wow, so you’d rather ruin our family trip than take a break from your kid’s precious screen?” She muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, “Some parents can’t say no these days. It’s no wonder kids are spoiled.”

I ignored her, but halfway through the flight, her son threw a bigger tantrum. And then, EM “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray, sending the iPad crashing to the floor! “Oops, so clumsy of me!” she said, smirking. Ella burst into tears, and I was boiling inside, but what could I do? EM acted like it was an accident, playing innocent the whole time.

I took a deep breath and decided to focus on calming Ella down. I figured karma would catch up with EM soon enough. And it did, sooner than I expected. Not long after the “accident,” her son suddenly started crying uncontrollably. EM tried to comfort him, but he was inconsolable. Amid his cries, he admitted he was sad because he felt bad about what happened to Ella’s iPad. Hearing her own son’s confession, EM’s face turned pale. It was clear she hadn’t expected her actions to impact her son in such a way. Feeling a mix of satisfaction and pity, I turned my attention back to Ella, trying to soothe her.

I was about to get up to retrieve a backup toy from the overhead bin when a flight attendant approached us. She had noticed the entire ordeal and kindly offered Ella a small stuffed airplane from the airline’s merchandise. Ella’s face lit up with a smile, and she hugged the toy tightly, her tears drying up. The flight attendant also mentioned quietly to me that she would be reporting the incident to her superiors, suggesting that EM might face some repercussions for her behavior.

As we prepared to land, I noticed that EM was trying to engage with her son, perhaps realizing that her approach might need changing. Her son, still looking guilty but also relieved to have confessed, finally calmed down. When it was time to disembark, EM caught my eye and, to my surprise, mouthed a sheepish “Sorry.”

Although the trip had its turbulent moments, it ended on a slightly more hopeful note. As Ella and I walked off the plane, she squeezed her new toy and looked up at me. “Mom, can we fly again soon?” she asked with a hopeful twinkle in her eye. I smiled, knowing that despite the challenges, these moments of resilience and forgiveness made it all worthwhile.

Related Posts

A Mother Gives Birth to 10 Babies — But One Wasn’t Human… See more

A mother recently made headlines after giving birth to ten babies, an incredible feat that has captured the attention of people around the world. What seemed like…

Little Johnny gets an F in math

Most people didn’t exactly jump for joy when math class rolled around back in school. Numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages — all those endless formulas written on chalkboards…

The Power of Communication Between Adults and Children

I was picking up my son from daycare when his teacher gently asked if we could talk in private. Her expression was serious, and my heart began…

A Delivery, A Doorbell, and a Life Forever Changed

What started as an ordinary Thursday quickly spiraled into a nightmare. I was buried in work when my phone buzzed with a motion alert from our doorbell…

I Left Home to Chase Success — My Sister Stayed, and Taught Me What Truly Matters

I left my home at 18. My twin sister stayed for our ill mom. She asked me to visit, but I’d say, “I’m busy becoming someone! Not…

My Parents Favored My Sister’s Wedding Budget — What Happened at Mine Changed Everything

My parents spent $60K on my sister’s wedding. For mine? $2,000. When I asked about the huge difference, my mom said flatly, “You’re older. You can handle…