Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Sometimes, traveling with young kids requires a little grace from fellow passengers. But not everyone is eager to offer it, especially at 30,000 feet.

One mom-to-be found herself caught in this tension when she asked the internet whether it was fair to ask other passengers to move so she could sit with her toddler. The answers she received were eye-opening, if not a little harsh.


A familiar parenting challenge with a twist

In a now-viral post on Mumsnet, user Deekaytwo, who was five months pregnant then, explained her travel dilemma ahead of a four-hour flight. She and her partner had secured seats 7A and 7C, with the middle seat between them blocked—something they often do to give their almost 2-year-old son a bit of space during the flight.

A child at a window seat on a plane. Representative Image: Kids have to travel too, but maybe book their seat next to your own. Pexels | Oleksandr P

“We always use it for our nearly 2-year-old son after take-off and before landing,” she wrote, adding that they usually book the front-row seats but missed out this time.

According to the seat map, two seats in the front row—1C and 1F—were showing as empty, likely reserved for gold-tier members. Eyeing those seats, Deekaytwo wondered if she could move her family up and ask one of the passengers already seated in 1A or 1D to switch with them.

“Am I being unreasonable to move us to the empty seats in the front row and hope/expect 1A or 1D to move so we can sit together?” she asked. “They’d still have their aisle/window and avoid sitting next to a baby, so I think it’s a win-win.”

"They’d avoid sitting next to a baby, so I think it’s a win-win."

Deekaytwo

To help gauge the fairness of her request, she offered up two options to fellow forum users: stick with the current seats and “let the fancy gold members keep the empty seat next to them,” or make the case for a swap, hoping it wouldn’t inconvenience anyone and might benefit everyone.

A layout of the plane seatsThe plan looked good on paper, or screen, but in reality it didn't quite shake out. Mumsnet | Deekaytwo

The internet had opinions—lots of them

The replies came in fast—over 200 of them. And most people felt pretty strongly that, yes, she was being unreasonable.

"No, you cannot expect someone to move for your convenience."

BreakfastAtMimis

“Book seats that work for you and assume that any that are already booked will remain occupied by someone else,” wrote BreakfastAtMimis.

“Only book it if you're prepared to travel in the seats you've booked!” added ThanKyoualMee. “I wouldn’t book on the provision you need someone to swap with you.”

"Only book it if you're prepared to travel in the seats you've booked!"

ThanKyoualMee

Another user, HoHoHoliday, kept it simple: “It’s only a four-hour flight—you should be able to manage your own child for that time.”

"You should be able to manage your own child for that time."

HoHoHoliday

Some empathy, but clear boundaries

Not all responses were harsh. A few commenters empathized with her situation—traveling pregnant with a toddler is no picnic. But they still emphasized the same thing: no one owes you a seat swap, no matter how good your reason may be.

While many parents have relied on the kindness of strangers when traveling, the general vibe was that it shouldn’t be assumed, especially when it puts someone else in an uncomfortable spot.

Still, it's easy to see where Deekaytwo was coming from. She wasn’t demanding a change, but wondering aloud if it would be a problem to ask.

Plan ahead, but hope for kindness

Flying with kids is hard. Flying pregnant is harder. Doing both at once? A logistical headache. This story is a gentle reminder that while parents deserve compassion, fellow passengers aren’t obligated to rearrange their travel to accommodate last-minute changes, and when you make plans, make plans you can live with.

When it comes to seat swaps, a little empathy on all sides can go a long way—but expecting it can be a bumpy ride.

More For You

Chris Hemsworth's response to his daughter's big question deserves applause

Chris explains what happened.

Image from ellentube/YouTube video.

Chris Hemsworth's response to his daughter's big question deserves applause

Chris Hemsworth might be best known for swinging a hammer as the Norse god of thunder in “Thor: Ragnarok,” but when it comes to being a dad, he’s just as legendary. The 35-year-old actor and father-of-three had a standout parenting moment that proves he’s more than just a superhero on screen.

It started with a curious question from his daughter

In a 2015 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hemsworth shared a story that starts with his daughter, 4-year-old India, having a very specific question about anatomy—and ends with a beautiful message about identity and acceptance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.
Reddit

Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.

For many young people, sleepovers have long been cherished occasions to bond with close friends - sharing late-night chats, snacking on treats, and revealing deep dark secrets. It's within these intimate gatherings that unbreakable connections and lifelong friendships are often forged. When Mason Brian Barclay's new best friend, Houston Shelton, invited him to a sleepover at her house, he was eager to take part in this rite of passage. However, Houston's parents had instituted a strict no-opposite-sex rule, meaning only girls were allowed.

Undaunted by the gender-based restriction, Barclay decided to directly appeal to Houston's mother, making a thoughtful case for why she should allow him to participate. "Hey, Mrs. Shelton! This is Mason Brian Barclay, I am one of Houston's new best friends. If she had people over on Friday, would I, a very homosexual male, be able to take part in the sleepover?" he asked her in a text message. "I think the common meaning behind only allowing the same sex to share sleepovers is due to the typical interest in the opposite sex when in this case, I do not like the opposite sex."

Keep ReadingShow less
HOA president tried to stop kids from playing outside. Dad shut her down instantly.
Representative photo by Canva

HOA president tried to stop kids from playing outside. Dad shut her down instantly.

With screens dominating so much of modern life, the sight of kids playing outside has become increasingly rare—but for some, even that seems to be a problem. A viral TikTok video from Daily Dose Of Masculinity (@masculineessence_) has sparked a debate after a Homeowners Association (HOA) president confronted a father, demanding that he keep his daughters indoors because neighbors had complained about the noise.

@masculineessence_

Visit TikTok to discover videos!

An unexpected confrontation caught on camera

Footage captured by a doorbell camera shows three young girls screaming and running inside as the HOA head approaches their house. Moments later, she rings the doorbell, and their father answers. Wasting no time, she immediately makes her demand:

"So, I am going to ask you to keep them inside," she says.

Clearly puzzled, the father responds with a simple but firm question:

"For what reason?"

Her reasoning? Multiple noise complaints from irritated neighbors.

"I have like 10 houses now contacting me. They are like barking at me and running," she explains.

Kids frolicking Representative photo by Katherine Hanlon | Unsplash

Dad isn’t backing down

At first, the father tries to reason with her, explaining that his daughters are just playing outside, as kids do. But as the conversation continues, his patience wears thin.

"That's what's wrong with this world because people like you and those other people don't let kids be kids, okay?" he says, his frustration growing.

Not interested in further debate, he firmly ends the conversation with:

"We appreciate you stopping by. Have a nice night."

Giphy


The video, captioned "HOA president gets mad at girls for playing," quickly took off online, with thousands of viewers chiming in on both sides of the argument.

TikTok reacts: Is the dad right, or was the HOA head reasonable?

The viral clip sparked a heated discussion, with some siding with the father and others sympathizing with the HOA president.

Some viewers believed the HOA head was being overly strict and that kids should be free to play outdoors.

@d33dspizza shared a wholesome perspective, writing:

"Our neighbors stopped over and said they loved hearing our kids playing and yelling outside… because theirs are all grown and moved out and they miss hearing it."

Representative photo by MI PHAM | Unsplash

Others, however, thought the volume level mattered—especially if the noise was disturbing residents at night.

@syb1375 pointed out that the HOA head had handled the situation calmly, saying:

"She was being respectful and came to reason with him instead of calling the police after getting so many complaints. It’s nighttime… people work in the morning."

Some commenters saw both sides but noted that ten different households complaining was significant.


"Not looking for a fight, but when 10 different households send a noise complaint, that’s a problem. We don’t know what noises they are making, so I can’t really take a side here."
— @Ilovehentaixdd

Meanwhile, @martin_arce acknowledged the HOA head’s position, writing:

"I wouldn’t be rude to her though. His neighbors demand it from her, and she’s gotta do it as her responsibility. And also, your neighbors’ demands aren’t unreasonable."


Giphy


Where is the line between community rules and personal freedoms?

At its core, this situation highlights a larger debate: how much control should HOAs have over residents' daily lives? While some believe neighborhood rules help maintain peace, others argue that they often overstep boundaries—especially when they interfere with something as simple as kids playing outside.

Whatever the case, one thing is clear: this father had no intention of keeping his daughters cooped up inside just because some neighbors complained.


Follow Daily Dose Of Masculinity (@masculineessence_) on TikTok for more videos.

Keep ReadingShow less
A Kansas child said there was a monster under the bed. Turns out, there was.

Representative Image: Monsters are usually things of our imaginations... usually.

Canva

A Kansas child said there was a monster under the bed. Turns out, there was.

Most of us have heard a sleepy little voice say: “There’s a monster under my bed.” Usually, these fears are eased with a quick peek and a reassuring hug. But in Great Bend, Kansas—about 189 miles southwest of Topeka—one babysitter found something that made every parent’s worst fear come true.

The Unexpected ‘Monster’ Under the Bed

According to a statement from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, it was 10:30 p.m. on a Monday when deputies responded to a call at a home in Great Bend. A babysitter had been putting the children to bed when one of them insisted there was a “monster” lurking under their bed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Her family tried to have "meeting" about her gay son. Mom immediately shuts it down.
Canva

Her family tried to have "meeting" about her gay son. Mom immediately shuts it down.

It's always tough when your family disagrees with your "lifestyle," which, for many from traditional backgrounds, is often just a code for homophobia. That's something Cydney Prescott experienced firsthand one holiday season when he learned that a bunch of extended family members who had gathered began to have a "meeting" about his being gay.Unfortunately, there are countless examples of members of the LGBTQ+ community facing intolerance, often from those who are closest to them.

In Cydney's case, however, he thankfully had his mother in his corner. When she found out that the "meeting" was taking place, she burst into the room and shut the entire thing down.

Keep ReadingShow less