When a Restless Child Kept Hitting My Airplane Seat, I Responded in an Unexpected Way
After a long, draining business trip, all I wanted on my flight home was a few quiet hours of rest. I had just leaned back in my seat, eyes closed, when I heard a small voice behind me—bright, curious, and full of energy.
A little boy, maybe seven years old, was chatting non-stop with his mother, asking one question after another about the plane, the clouds, the snacks—everything. Normally, I might have smiled at his curiosity, but that day, exhaustion made every sound echo louder than it should have.
Then came the tapping. At first, light thumps against my seatback. Then harder. Rhythmic. Unrelenting.
His mother whispered to him to calm down, and even the flight attendant gave a polite reminder. But within minutes, the tapping returned. I could feel frustration bubbling inside me—every tap a reminder of how badly I needed rest.
For a moment, I considered turning around and saying something sharp. But instead, I stopped myself, took a slow breath, and reminded myself: he’s just a kid, stuck in a seat for hours, probably bored out of his mind.
That’s when I decided to try something different.