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

I was traveling with my five-year-old daughter, Ella, who was contentedly watching something on her iPad with headphones. Across the aisle sat a boy of similar age, who kept glancing at Ella’s screen. His complaints grew increasingly loud, prompting his mother, whom I shall refer to as Entitled Mom (EM), to tap me on the shoulder. “We are being responsible and not allowing our son any screen time during this trip. Could you please put the iPad away? It’s upsetting him.”

I was taken aback. “No, I’m sorry. My daughter is calm and enjoying her program.”

EM’s expression shifted dramatically. “So, you would prefer to ruin our family vacation rather than take a break from your child’s precious screen time?” She muttered, loud enough for those nearby to hear, “Some parents today just can’t say no. It’s no wonder children are spoiled.”

I chose to disregard her comments, but midway through the flight, her son escalated his tantrum. Subsequently, EM “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray, causing the iPad to crash to the floor. “Oops, how clumsy of me!” she remarked with a smirk. Ella began to cry, and I felt a surge of anger, yet I was unsure how to respond. EM maintained her innocent facade throughout the incident.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on comforting Ella, believing that karma would eventually catch up with EM. To my surprise, it happened sooner than anticipated. Shortly after the “accident,” her son began to cry uncontrollably. EM attempted to console him, but he was inconsolable. In the midst of his sobs, he expressed his sadness over what had happened to Ella’s iPad. Upon hearing her son’s admission, EM’s face drained of color, revealing her shock at the unforeseen consequences of her actions. Feeling a blend of satisfaction and sympathy, I redirected my attention to Ella, striving to calm her down.I was on the verge of standing up to fetch a backup toy from the overhead compartment when a flight attendant approached us. She had observed the entire situation and graciously offered Ella a small stuffed airplane from the airline’s collection. Ella’s expression brightened, and she embraced the toy tightly, her tears subsiding. The flight attendant also discreetly informed me that she would be reporting the incident to her superiors, indicating that the entitled mother might face some consequences for her actions. As we prepared for landing, I noticed that the entitled mother was attempting to connect with her son, perhaps realizing that her approach needed adjustment. Her son, still appearing remorseful yet relieved after his confession, gradually settled down. When it was time to exit the plane, the entitled mother caught my gaze and, to my astonishment, mouthed a timid “Sorry.”

Despite the trip’s challenging moments, it concluded on a somewhat more optimistic note. As Ella and I exited the aircraft, she clutched her new toy and looked up at me. “Mom, can we fly again soon?” she inquired, her eyes sparkling with hope. I smiled, recognizing that despite the difficulties, these instances of resilience and forgiveness rendered the experience truly worthwhile.