Entitled Mom Breaks My Daughters iPad on a Flight, And Regrets It Fast
The Entitled Mom Who Tried to Ruin Our Flight—But Karma Had Other Plans
Flying with a five-year-old can be a challenge, but that day, things were going surprisingly well. My daughter, Ella, was happily watching a show on her iPad, headphones snug over her little ears, completely absorbed.
Across the aisle, another boy around her age wasn’t as content. His eyes kept darting toward Ella’s screen, his fidgeting growing more restless. Then came the whining.
“Mom, I want to watch too!”
His mother—let’s call her Entitled Mom (EM)—sighed dramatically before tapping me on the shoulder.
“We’re being responsible and not giving our son any screen time this trip,” she said, her tone dripping with superiority. “Could you put the iPad away? It’s upsetting him.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “No, sorry. My daughter’s calm and enjoying her show.”
EM’s smile vanished instantly.
“Wow,” she huffed, shaking her head, “so you’d rather ruin our family trip than take a break from your kid’s precious screen?” Then, just loud enough for those around us to hear, she muttered, “Some parents can’t say no these days. No wonder kids are so spoiled.”
I bit my tongue and turned away, refusing to engage. Ella was peaceful, and I wasn’t about to disrupt her over someone else’s parenting choices.
But EM wasn’t done.
The “Accident” That Wasn’t
Halfway through the flight, her son’s whining escalated into a full-blown tantrum. EM struggled to calm him, but instead of redirecting his frustration, she decided to escalate the situation in the worst way possible.
In one swift, deliberate motion, she reached over—and “accidentally” knocked over Ella’s tray.
The iPad tumbled to the floor with a sickening thud.
“Oops! So clumsy of me!” EM gasped, her smirk barely concealed.
Ella let out a heartbroken wail, and my chest tightened with rage.
I wanted to scream, to demand she take responsibility, but she had already shifted into innocent mode, playing it off as an unfortunate mishap.
I took a deep breath, swallowing my anger for Ella’s sake. I focused on comforting her instead, rubbing her back as she clung to me, hiccuping between sobs.
I told myself that karma had a way of working things out.
I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
Karma Arrives—And It Hits Hard
Not long after the “accident,” EM’s son started crying even louder.
But this time, it wasn’t because of the iPad.
Through his sobs, he blurted out something that caught everyone’s attention.
“Mommy, I feel bad! I feel bad about the iPad!”
EM’s face drained of color.
She hadn’t just upset my daughter—she had unintentionally taught her own son a harsh lesson in guilt.
Her eyes darted around, suddenly aware of the eyes on her. The smugness was gone, replaced by something almost resembling regret.
I didn’t say anything. There was nothing left to say.
Instead, I focused on Ella.
A Small Act of Kindness
As I reached for the overhead bin to grab a backup toy, a flight attendant appeared beside me.
“I saw what happened,” she said softly. “That was completely unacceptable.”
Then, with a warm smile, she handed Ella a small stuffed airplane from the airline’s merchandise.
Ella’s face lit up. She hugged the toy close, her tears finally drying.
“Thank you,” I whispered, beyond grateful for the kindness.
The flight attendant nodded. “I’ll also be reporting the incident to my superiors. She might be facing some consequences.”
I exhaled slowly, feeling a sense of justice settling over me.
A Surprising Apology
As we prepared to land, I noticed EM shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
She was trying to engage with her son, her tone softer, her demeanor different. Maybe she was realizing that her actions had consequences beyond what she intended.
When we finally disembarked, she caught my eye.
And to my utter surprise, she mouthed, “Sorry.”
I didn’t respond. I just gave her a small nod and turned my attention back to Ella, who was happily squeezing her new stuffed airplane.
“Mom, can we fly again soon?” she asked, a hopeful twinkle in her eye.
I smiled, squeezing her hand.
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Because despite the turbulence—both in the air and in life—it’s moments like these that remind us that kindness, resilience, and a little bit of karma always find their way.
