Controversial? Sedating Kids On Long Haul Flights

[SeaVisionBurma]

Saw an interesting travel article - caused a lot of responses (for and against) on the subject of giving kids a sedative to knock them out on long haul flights so as not to annoy other passengers:

Anyone who has ever flown long haul will have witnessed the distress caused to fellow passengers by screaming children, but what about the anxiety felt by the parents? Uncomfortable under the glare of irate travellers how far will some parents go to control their children?

The actions of a British mother, Shona Sibary, who admitted medicating her children to get them to sleep on long flights has sparked a furious debate on parenting and travel forums about the use of drugs in sedating children for convenience.

Sibary, a journalist, defended herself in the UK's Daily Mail: "I was held hostage to the relentless, nerve-jangling wailing of my inconsolable infant. And so were the other 300 passengers. It was the looks of hatred on their faces — glares saying: 'Can't you do something about that dreadful noise, you ineffectual mother?' — that made me reach, in desperation, for the bottle in my handbag. One spoonful of a sedating medicine was all it took to knock out Flo. She slept for hours, blissfully drugged."

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/lifestyle/life/drugging-kids-on-long-haul-flights-20130508-2j7vi.html#ixzz2T5P1DSz7

Mature, non-troll responses welcome......

[smokie36]

Aaaah bliss!

[angsta]

IMHO children under the age of 6 should not be allowed on planes with normal people. Ever.

[Loptr]

Sedation should be mandatory for all young children on all flights. There is nothing worse than having a screaming child near you on a flight of any length. The only thing worse is the bratty, screaming child in a seat directly behind you that takes great pleasure in kicking the back of your seat. I have had words with more than one mother that would not or could not control their children. Before the peanut gallery chimes in, yes, I can be a real prick.

[breadbin]

Ridiculous posts I suspect from non parents.

My child started flying at 3 months, never had a tantrum, sleeps, watches movies, plays games.

I say sedate the chav parents.

What about drunk adults on planes?

They stink of alcohol, shout, act up.

Why not sedate them?

[asdecas]

Sedation should be mandatory for all young children on all flights. There is nothing worse than having a screaming child near you on a flight of any length. The only thing worse is the bratty, screaming child in a seat directly behind you that takes great pleasure in kicking the back of your seat. I have had words with more than one mother that would not or could not control their children. Before the peanut gallery chimes in, yes, I can be a real prick.

So, there's nothing worse but one thing worse?

[maxman71]

Sedation should be mandatory for all young children on all flights. There is nothing worse than having a screaming child near you on a flight of any length. The only thing worse is the bratty, screaming child in a seat directly behind you that takes great pleasure in kicking the back of your seat. I have had words with more than one mother that would not or could not control their children. Before the peanut gallery chimes in, yes, I can be a real prick.

Not sure I can agree with mandatory sedation and I am one who flies long haul flights regularly with screaming kids. But when it comes to kids kicking the back of my seat, I'm with you. Last time it happened was on a flight from Singapore to BKK. After the plane landed, I told the brat's father he was a lousy Dad for allowing his kid to be disruptive. He must have lost face as his wife and her parents were along on the flight, and he challenged me to a fight...I told him I wouldn't strike someone I was likely to leave behind in a pool of their own blood.

[yermanee]

Having had an unpleasant flight just last week because of an unruley child I'm with Smokey on this one.

Nothing wrong with a mild sedative.

Yermanee

[rgs2001uk]

Aaaah bliss!

Indeed, just toss them straight in the hold, and if their thoroughly modern parents want to join them, thats fine with me.

Nothing but a social nuisance, they are todays equivalent of smokers, social lepers.

[utalkin2me]

I say the more power to her. Sedate away, fine with me.

The thing I am repulsed by is when parents refuse to control their children when they violate the private space of others, on multiple occasions. What parent in their right mind thinks another person will be ok with their little brat's grubby little hands on them? You spewed him out, you control him.... isn't this all part of the "my vagina, my choice" paradigm? More like "your vagina, your choice, now your problem, so deal with it".

[RogueLeader]

Ridiculous posts I suspect from non parents.

My child started flying at 3 months, never had a tantrum, sleeps, watches movies, plays games.

I say sedate the chav parents.

What about drunk adults on planes?

They stink of alcohol, shout, act up.

Why not sedate them?

Disruptive passengers are arrested on arrival at their destination. Are you suggesting that the same rules should apply to the parents of disruptive children?

[Songhua]

Conduct mandatory unruliness testing of the kiddies at check-in. Any that fail go in a crate (the same as they have for pets).

[breadbin]

Nope, but do you enjoy the flight while the chavs and puss heads party for 12 hrs and not giving a monkeys about anyone else?

Also, do you think they all get an escort on arrival? They don't.

Plus, do the airlines actually ban them all? Nope.

Are they allowed to fly home or fly again? Yes.

So, for me they are worse than kids as they should know better and they have a choice.

Kids don't usually.

[breadbin]

Conduct mandatory unruliness testing of the kiddies at check-in. Any that fail go in a crate (the same as they have for pets).

Pathetic

[breadbin]

I think some TV members need sedating for good!

[candypants]

sorry, flown thousands upon thousands of km with my child since she was 3 months old.

my father worked for an airline and i travelled by air from birth as well.

the biggest problem i have had was pressure in the ears during landing and take off, and with an infant, tears are to be expected.

if a child older than 2 or 3 is misbehaving throughout the flight, it is down to the parents.

books, crayons, ipads, iphones, portable dvds players as well as proper discipline are the responsibility of the parent, if the kid is uncontrolled on the ground, it will be a bastard in the air.

sedation, i would not touch it.

Edited May 12, 2013 by candypants

[candypants]

Conduct mandatory unruliness testing of the kiddies at check-in. Any that fail go in a crate (the same as they have for pets).

Pathetic

what is pathetic is that this was a piss take, and you bit.

[Newguy70]

Conduct mandatory unruliness testing of the kiddies at check-in. Any that fail go in a crate (the same as they have for pets).

Goes to show the level of intellect amongst some of the TV members...

Seems like someone didn't get enough love when they were a kid.

There's still hope for you yet. Plenty of psychiatrist in Thailand to help you out!

[sustento]

I thunk that all modern aircraft ought to have a large soundproof cupboard down at the back of the plane.

[candypants]

Conduct mandatory unruliness testing of the kiddies at check-in. Any that fail go in a crate (the same as they have for pets).

Goes to show the level of intellect amongst some of the TV members...

Seems like someone didn't get enough love when they were a kid.

There's still hope for you yet. Plenty of psychiatrist in Thailand to help you out!

sigh.

[manarak]

The real shame is on the mothers.

From what I witnessed so far, Asian mothers are so embarassed by their child crying and disturbing everybody that they will do everything to calm down the child, i.e. taking it into their arms, walking around, etc.

The worst ever are mothers who just leave the crying child alone until it calms down by itself - this might be ok at home, but on an airplane it's inacceptable. I witnessed this mostly from Western mothers.

Beyond that, I hate morals and moralists. A solution is not automatically bad because it is easy and involves pills.

So... is there a rationale behind for saying children should not be sedated for the comfort of their parents and other passengers?

I can only think about medical risks, while the benefits are clear: child and parents land reasonably rested and relaxed.

Luckily, my children are old enough to travel quietly, but if I was sure there were no risks for the child, I wouldn't mind giving a sedative.

[JetsetBkk]

Sedation? How about euthanasia?

[manarak]

Sedation? How about euthanasia?

not euthanasia, the term is improper, because it wouldn't be a good death.

P.S. from the greek "eu" good and "thanatos" dead

Edited May 12, 2013 by manarak

[sustento]

Sedation? How about euthanasia?

It would stop you having to sedate them every flight.

[SantiSuk]

IMHO children under the age of 6 should not be allowed on planes with normal people. Ever.

I have a similar reaction to drunks.

Some people need to practice a bit more patience and tolerance.

OK - I am a father of a small kid, but I flew for 35 years before that and no appreciation of children or parenthood. Kids were sometimes annoying, but hey there are loads of things in life that are annoying - get over it. I still do with drunks.

Edited May 12, 2013 by SantiSuk

[Loptr]

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

Here is a little video about an expat in China and how he handled a family in public with an unruly child that has the "Little Emperor" syndrome.

[Ragzilb]

Yeah Children are not a problem, the person who hates it ...he is the problem get over it.

[candypants]

The real shame is on the mothers.

indeed, damn the mothers.

they carry the real shame

Edited May 12, 2013 by candypants

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Planes, restaurants, parks, beaches, cinemas, whatever.

It really doesn't matter what sort of public venue it is; children under 12 should not be allowed to frequent them at all unless the places are dedicated solely to their use with a big sign outside warning everyone else of the horrors that lurk within.

[rubberduck]

People who are to stupid to raise their kids the way they deserve, and not learn them how to behave in any situation should not be allowed to have kids after all, seriously !