While flying with my 5-year-old, Ella, she was happily watching her iPad when a boy across the aisle started eyeing her screen. His mother, whom I’ll call Entitled Mom (EM), asked me to put the iPad away, saying it was upsetting her son since they were avoiding screen time. I refused, explaining that Ella was calm and enjoying her show.

Later, EM’s son threw a tantrum, and EM “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray, sending the iPad crashing to the floor. While I focused on calming Ella, EM’s son later admitted he felt bad about what happened, leaving his mom visibly shaken.

A flight attendant, noticing the incident, gave Ella a small stuffed airplane and promised to report EM’s behavior. By the end of the flight, EM sheepishly apologized, and Ella’s spirits were lifted. Despite the turbulence, the trip ended on a hopeful note.