AITA for making kid cry on a plane multiple times
In the cramped, tense confines of a 15-hour flight, a quiet battle of patience and boundaries unfolded. A teenage boy, seeking peace and personal space, found himself repeatedly tested by a younger child’s relentless demands and emotional outbursts, each tear a silent plea for attention that clashed with his own need for respite.
Caught between empathy and self-preservation, the young man wrestled with the difficult choice to say no, knowing it would bring tears yet recognizing his own limits. This story is a raw glimpse into the fragile dance of compa*sion and personal boundaries in a world where kindness is often tested by exhaustion and expectation.
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HERE’S HOW REDDIT BLEW UP AFTER HEARING THIS – PEOPLE COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.:
The internet jumped in fast, delivering everything from kind advice to cold truth. It’s a mix of empathy, outrage, and no-nonsense takes.
After reading through the Reddit comments, it’s clear that opinions are mixed but tend to lean toward understanding the teenager’s perspective. Many commenters sympathized with the 17-year-old who was put in an awkward position—trying to be polite yet wanting to enjoy his own flight without being responsible for a child’s entertainment. The boy’s repeated crying was unfortunate, but it’s important to remember that the young man wasn’t obligated to entertain a stranger for 15 hours straight, and setting boundaries is reasonable, especially when dealing with a long and tiring trip.
In my opinion, while it’s always good to be kind to children, it’s also essential for parents to manage their kids’ behavior and expectations during travel. The mother should have intervened more actively rather than relying on a teenager to soothe her son. At the end of the day, personal space and boundaries matter, and it’s okay to say no when someone’s requests become overwhelming. The 17-year-old was not the antagonist here—just a person trying to maintain his own comfort on a very long flight.