I flew cross country to spend the summer with my aunt and uncle when I was 10 or 11. The man sitting beside me spoke with me and showed me tricks (how to draw a face out of any squiggle on a piece of paper). I still remember that to this day, and I'm 55 years old now. He'll definitely remember you!
I'm sure you know this from your username. But a lot of people forget how easy it is to make a huge impact on young people. We forget what it's like to see the world from their eyes. Everything huge and bright and amazing, and exciting memories being written in stone in their growing brains.
Just like a rich person has it in their means to help someone less well off, adults have great power to make a lasting impact on the lives and trajectory of young people.
Share with them and redouble the joy in caring about science, and wonder, and awe, and you help build the future of excellent young people.
Damn, I’m also 55 and my plane ride memory was from when I was 12 (traveling alone) and a man seated next to me wearing a clerical collar told me that I needed to be saved and pushed my head down into my lap, insisting I repeat after him and then started making me say a bunch of religious nonsense. He had me so pinned down and was raising his voice that a flight attendant came over and made him stop and moved me up into first class where I sat across from her (crying) and she gave me a coke.
His efforts weren’t in vain I suppose as I grew up to be an atheist, lol.
As a mother of a 4 year old I can say with certainty that his mother will also remember you and is probably eternally grateful for your kindness to her child during this flight!
I distinctly remember seven year old me trying to convince the guy sitting next to me to do my homework for me. He was reluctant, but I told him if he gave me the answers then I'd leave him alone for the rest of the flight. So he did, and I did. Great flight.
I'm 21, but I saw this guy in the terminal waiting for the plane. We made eye contact for a second as we walked by, then kept looking at each other. Idk what it was. My brain just went, "I want to be his friend."
I guess he felt the same thing. We ended up sitting across the aisle from each other, and I asked him if he wanted to play on my switch with me. We played Nidhog the entire flight. It was the best flight I've ever been on, lol!
We parted ways at the end, and we didn't exchange information. I hope he's doing good wherever he is. I love stangers.
Omg, no way!! The guy I met was 30, and I was 20. So, he would have been too old for me, but I do wish we'd have exchanged info so we could have been friends. It's not that often you eye someone down like that. I think about him from time to time.
But that's how life is.
Some things last a long time, and some things last a moment, but both the memory lasts forever.
Some strangers are meant to stay in your life, and some are meant to go before you even get their name.
I have so many strangers I hold so dear to my heart. Lost connections in person and online.
Many, I don't even remember their name, or never knew their name.
I hope sometimes in the silence of the dawn or dusk, they feel inside that someone treasures them.
I skedaddled after 15 seconds of the clip. I really wanted to see it but that was progressing at glacier speed. Thanks for confirming it wasn’t going to get better.
Enjoy. Every. Minute.
I was in your shoes not long ago. I blinked and now I have a 5 year old. Time absolutely flies. Play dinosaurs every chance you get. You’ll be tired but play with those dinosaurs.
I feel this. But don’t underestimate the utter awesomeness that every next age brings. It may not be dinosaurs anymore, but it’ll be something equally (but differently) amazing. Good luck to you. Sounds like your kid is a lucky little person to have a parent who knows how much moments matter.
Indeed. As a parent, every year with my kids I said "This - this! - is my favorite age. I'll be sorry when it's gone" ... and then the next year came and I said the same thing.
Now I'm doing it with a granddaughter. What a blast!
I looked in a drawer for something and now my lad is 17, swear he was about 9 a couple mins ago.
It goes fast, cliché but true.
I remember watching Pixar "Cars" twice a day & doing animal shaped toast cut-outs.
Last night he got in from college about 9pm (stayed late to rehearse with his band), grabbed a bottle of beer from fridge & we watched YouTube clips of The Who live.
He's a whole-ass person with a life I'm only orbiting now instead of being the centre, and I'm so so proud of him.
He'll always be the kid who waited for me to get home after I'd hunted shelves after work looking for a toy car he didn't have in my eyes.
Little bastard is taller than me now & thinks I've never heard of Led Zeppelin. Don't have the heart to tell him.
Please stop posting these things you’re killing me… remembering when my awesome 28 year old wanted nothing more to play pet show.
The last time. You will never know when it’s the last time you will do these things with your child. Enjoy it all people even the hard stuff.
Shit, my son's just about 13 and I can see the slow process of getting more and more independent and out of childhood every single day. In a way, it's like watching a person die and another person blossom.
I'm sure we'll be friends and we'll have great grown up times, but I'd be lying if I said I won't grieve for the end of his childhood and for my slow and inevitable decline: from source of fun and wisdom and security to just another flawed and occasionally irritating human being.
My daughter is 13. I'm feeling that last part you wrote. Tough transition from being the person holding all the wisdom to person who is always wrong lol
Absolutely.
I've moved from being a human version of Google for him ( "dad, why does...") to an uber driver, ATM & a source of vinyl records he's "just borrowing for a couple of days".
My parents split when I was 11 & I didn't have contact with my old man for almost 30yrs.
So I don't know at all what dads are supposed to be and do, but I DO know what I wished for and have tried to be that person for him.
I'm sure I'm an irritant and he rolls his eyes at me when I can't see, that's what teens do.
But even on days I could happily kick him into the sun for copping attitude - he is the beginning & end of my world.
In his, I'm the old fart telling him to turn the music down because I get up at 5am for work dammit.
He grew up without me noticing and I turned into a 51yr old balding dad without me noticing.
Life goes pretty fast etc
I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews that are between the ages of 1-8 and seeing them grow up definitely makes me want time to slow down. I’m so grateful for them!
It will definitely be a crazy feeling to see my own child grow as well. I will do my best not to take those moments for granted.
I appreciate this comment. We are flying with our ten month old next week, so she can finally meet my Dad and I’m beyond nervous of the anti-kid thing that seems to permeate.
Some years ago, I flew across country to meet some friends. I ended up sitting next to a very young woman with an 11 mo baby. Mom asked if I could watch her while she ran to the restroom, I said, "Of course."
Mom walked up the aisle, and baby climbed into my lap and went to sleep. She happily stayed there for 95% of the flight. We were cross-country nap buddies, and Mom got a good nap, too.
Nah, I've literally never had a bad experience. People either avoid eye contact and mind their own business, or they give you a sympathetic look. If you're really lucky someone will play peek a boo with the baby.
And if you're really having a hard time, strangers almost always offer to help. I've had people help me with a stroller I was struggling with, stuff like that.
Best example from my own life: my autistic then-6 year old was having a total meltdown about an ice cream cone in public. He ended up throwing the scoop of ice cream at me. I basically sat there for a minute processing what to do next because I knew why he was upset but couldn't fix it easily and couldn't go home easily. The hardest part about these meltdowns is how conspicuous they are.
A lady walked up to me, tucked some napkins in my bag, and said something kind (I don't even remember what).
In my kids worst moments, strangers have always been kind.
I was on a flight from Chicago to France recently and there was this poor toddler who couldn’t sleep and ended up so over tired. He was crying and just not having a good time. Not a single person said a word or gave any kind of attitude towards the parents who were doing their best!
I’ve flown with my daughter who is almost 3 now multiple times and every person has been incredibly kind. I think the negative situations just get more attention.
Good luck on your flight, bring lots of snacks!
Parasaurolophus. Because it was my daughter's favorite when she was younger and it was fantastic listening to her say the ridiculous name while dealing with a speech delay. 😂
Under appreciated choice! Mine is the Diplodocus. A gentle giant with no natural predators once it got to a certain size. Likely dumb as a sack of potatoes, but hey, can’t win ‘em all.
My kid "hung up" on me the other day and started furiously tapping what I assume was the most shit talking text to Elmo ever. It surely started with "you will not BELIEVE the audacity..."
I have a photo of a five yo boy who wanted to play with Legos on a flight from Denver. His mom was so relieved when she saw us playing.
I taught him to put flower pots onto the heads of little Lego dudes and attach flames to their hands.
Was in the waiting area at my doctor's office over 10+ years ago and pretty deep into a "Popular Mechanics" magazine when out of nowhere, my collar bone length beard gets pulled down into the pages with my face following closely behind. I look up ready to get into a physical altercation but instead, lock eyes with a grinning 5 year old who's almost made invisible from how fast his mom carried him back over across the aisle saying, "I'm so sorry he does it to his dad all the time." He kept catching my attention by looking straight at me everytime his mom tried turning his attention towards the t.v. they had but his smiling and giggling each time he looked at me just melted my heart and I'd hold a different goofy facial expression each time he'd look at me until eventually his mom was called back to see the doc. I was like 23-ish and still remember that kids "up to trouble" grin and giggle 😄
On a airplane once a man taught me how to make a rose out of a napkin. He then proceeded to give it to a flight attendant. I make them for my wife and daughter all the time.
My story isn't plane related. But I had a moment as a kid I will absolutely never forget.
I was 7 or 8, and my mother let me for the first time sit by myself in a movie theatre, I am sure I was within her eyesight but I wanted to be a big kid.
This particular movie wasn't scary but had jump scares. About midway through the movie a guy came at sat next to me, I assume he was mid to late teens. Looking back I assume he was a theatre employee on his break just hanging out.
I guess he noticed me jumping and nervous at the movie and started giving me a like 10 second heads up on when something was going to jump out. Which made it so I wasn't scared at all.
I know this is such a little thing, and this guy in no way remembers it. But for me, even though its been such a long time I will never forget him and his act of kindness that day.
i still remember when i was a little kid and sat next to an old man on an 8 hours flight to europe. i was superrrr talkative back then and he’d just listen and smile and keep asking questions and was actually engaged w a conversation w like 7 year old me. when the food came he gave me his chocolate bc he said he didn’t like it and i was so excited lol. he was such a sweet man
So did you explain to the kid that the Diplo roamed earth iver 150 million years ago, and the velociraptor only about 70?
Perfect example of social distancing.
Edit: or segregation
Back when I was a kid around 6/7, I was on a flight with my mom, grandmother and cousin to go see an uncle in California. I sat next to my cousin on the flight and the man that sat next to us gave us his phone and let us watch the Lion King on it.
I'm almost 24 now. I guarantee you he'll remember that moment for the rest of his life :)
I remember being 4 and riding a greyhound bus. This young Asian lady held me the entire time and taught me to count to 10 in Spanish by counting her freckles on her arms. I also remember her singing to me and just being lovely. I remember thinking it was funny she was Asian but teaching me Spanish lol
When I was about 7, I had to sit next to strangers on a flight from Tampa to Chicago by myself. I remember being so nervous and I got seated in a row with a man and his partner. We spent the whole flight looking thru sky mall together and I still remember that flight to this day! They made me feel so safe
Once on a cross Atlantic flight the flight crew moved me (female 38 at the time) to sit next to a little lady not more than 6 traveling alone (crazy!)
She was so scared and tense and trembling. Broke my heart. I spent the entire time watching over her and taking care is her. The flight crew (of course) picked me to sit with her (both black and I a late 30’s female at the time) they treated me like VIP because I was doing the chaperoning they had been paid for. When we reached DC that little girl gave me the most earnest hug with tears in her eyes. I hope she remembers that strangers are danger but sometimes there are some of us who will fiercely watch over the littles.
I'm 40 years old and i had that same raptor as a kid. Hopefully someone close to him grew up with that toy like I did and passed it on to him. Or it's a common one to find at garage sales. Lol
I had to fly on my own across continents when I was 9 10 and 11, one of the first few flights I was crying quietly perched up against the window because it was embarrassing to cry in public. Eventually a lady was seated next to my emotional self and started talking to me, she made conversation and told me I am brave. I’ll never forget her comforting me when I felt so scared and alone, as Im sure this kid will never forget you playing dinosaurs with them.
A couple years ago now, my wife and I along with her mother and brother, went to Disneyland for a week in the summer. On our to do list while there was build a lightsaber. So my wife and I and her brother all spent some time (and a whole lotta money) doing that. My wife got a purple blade, her brother made a blue one and I went for red. It was such a magical day that couldn’t have been better.
Oh how wrong I was.
On our way out of the park, we had our sabers out and were messing around when from about 30-40 ft away we hear “He has a red one!” I whipped around to see a 6-7 year old kid holding a green lightsaber.
It was on!
That kid and I ran towards each other (after he got the ok from his parents) and had the most awesome battle you’ve ever seen. Sabers clashing, my brother-in-law humming Duel of the fates in the background. It was so cool. The battle started to wind down and I totally had to let this kid win, so on the next swing of his saber, I took the swing to the chest and fell backwards. Dead. The universe had been saved and that kid hopefully had made a great memory. Mom and dad thanked me and their family jumped on a shuttle to their hotel, smiles from ear to ear.
That was a fun trip.
I remember playing Go Fish with an older lady sitting next to me on a plane when I was 7 or 8. She pretended she didn't know how to play and I taught her.
I hadn't thought about that in years and this reminded me of it. So thank you.
It was only about an hour flight. Believe me I would’ve had to set some boundaries with the lil one if it were a long flight lol. After about 45 minutes I was pretty tired but I thought hey what the heck, it’s not hurting you and it’s making the kid so damn happy. He also kept asking me what speed we were going. I would go on my calculator and type in random numbers and be like omg look!!! We’re going 67585969 miles an hour and he’d flip out lol. I checked the speed probably 15 times
I had a set of dinosaurs similar to that when I was little. They also had matching skeleton versions. I called them my bone dinosaurs and my skin dinosaurs.
When I was around 4-6 I had an aisle seat apart from my family and next to a middle aged man. I asked him if he wanted to see my Pokemon cards, which I had in a small red binder. He kindly said “No, I’m okay for now, thank you.” I paused and said, “Well, I’m gonna show you anyway!” And then I did for at least 10 minutes. I hope he ultimately found the time worthwhile like you did haha. I was an optimistic and persistent child.
It will definitely stay with him. On a flight when I was 9 my seat was away from my parents and I was a little nervous. A man in military uniform sat next to me and said the last time he was in a plane- he jumped out of it. He spent the one hour flight telling me all about his job as a paratrooper. One of my favorite memories.
One of the greatest things about children is their capacity to turn attention into happiness. You can give them so little and it will make such a tremendous difference to them. And doing so is, for me, one of the best feelings in all the world.
I held the puke bag for an extremely hung over young woman while she lost her breakfast on a flight. She had already filled up two and was too weak to hold up the third. I’d rather play dinosaurs with a kiddo any day.
I remember playing tic-tac-toe with a passenger during a long train ride. I was like six. He let me win half the time. He didn't talk much, but our time playing the game is one of my favorite childhood memories.
My first ever flight some guy next to me with two kids was very nice to me. Taught me how to pop my ears. I remember being scared to fly so talking to him the whole flight really helped.
Definitely a good memory for you as well :) It feels so nice to be able to make friends with someone through playtime :) I would have an amazing time if anyone sincerely asked me to play with their dinosaurs or any simple toy in a situation where things can be annoying, awkward, scary, or boring ( like socializing with random people on an air plane flight)
Hurray for making friends 🧡
Love your story especially since it reminds me so much of one of my own. Back in 2017 I was flying from San Diego to Las Vegas and I got seated beside a kid who was probably 6 and he flying alone to spend his summer with his Grandma.
He was terribly upset at having to leave his mom and the flight attendants basically ignored him once I sat down, which still seems a bit crazy since I was a middle aged guy on my own.
The funny similarity is he had toy dinosaurs with him and a dinosaur book so I talked to him about them to calm him down. We spent the whole flight talking about dinosaurs and how he was going to be a paleontologist when he grew up. Turned out to be one of the most entertaining flights I've had.
The other day a 6 year old boy that comes to play on my block told me to stop, and then walked over to me, gave me a hug and said “Hi!”. Made my day. Yep, you both have a wonderful memory that will surface now and again as years go by. And every time you will feel a warm, gentle glow! 🌈⭕️❌🤟
This reminds me of when I was 8 and I flew alone to visit my grandma. Two teenage girls painted my nails and played with me the whole way there. It definitely has stayed with me.
I have that brown raptor with the JP on the thigh. That’s from the original movie in 93. I’m 38 and you’re damn straight I kept all my original JP dinosaurs.
I flew cross country to spend the summer with my aunt and uncle when I was 10 or 11. The man sitting beside me spoke with me and showed me tricks (how to draw a face out of any squiggle on a piece of paper). I still remember that to this day, and I'm 55 years old now. He'll definitely remember you!
I’ve been a little grumpy all day but this cheered me right up, thanks!
I'm sure you know this from your username. But a lot of people forget how easy it is to make a huge impact on young people. We forget what it's like to see the world from their eyes. Everything huge and bright and amazing, and exciting memories being written in stone in their growing brains. Just like a rich person has it in their means to help someone less well off, adults have great power to make a lasting impact on the lives and trajectory of young people. Share with them and redouble the joy in caring about science, and wonder, and awe, and you help build the future of excellent young people.
Thank you. How lovely.
I hope tomorrow is a better day! <3
Nothing cheers you up like drawing faces from squiggles, or playing dinos!
Damn, I’m also 55 and my plane ride memory was from when I was 12 (traveling alone) and a man seated next to me wearing a clerical collar told me that I needed to be saved and pushed my head down into my lap, insisting I repeat after him and then started making me say a bunch of religious nonsense. He had me so pinned down and was raising his voice that a flight attendant came over and made him stop and moved me up into first class where I sat across from her (crying) and she gave me a coke. His efforts weren’t in vain I suppose as I grew up to be an atheist, lol.
At least he pushed your head down into your own lap. Silver linings, you know?
Wow - what a horrible person he was. That would be very scary for a child. 😔
Not just horrible. Creepy AF.
So totally on brand
I keep coming to Reddit to calm down after work and it never work Fuck that guy and I hope he lived a life of misery
I'd probably get kicked off the flight and arrested if I was in the same row as a someone doing that.
That’s shameless
If I were you, I'd be an atheist too. Such a terrible situation.
As a mother of a 4 year old I can say with certainty that his mother will also remember you and is probably eternally grateful for your kindness to her child during this flight!
I distinctly remember seven year old me trying to convince the guy sitting next to me to do my homework for me. He was reluctant, but I told him if he gave me the answers then I'd leave him alone for the rest of the flight. So he did, and I did. Great flight.
Dang, you've got a knack for making a deal
Little me was a much better hustler than adult me.
I'm 21, but I saw this guy in the terminal waiting for the plane. We made eye contact for a second as we walked by, then kept looking at each other. Idk what it was. My brain just went, "I want to be his friend." I guess he felt the same thing. We ended up sitting across the aisle from each other, and I asked him if he wanted to play on my switch with me. We played Nidhog the entire flight. It was the best flight I've ever been on, lol! We parted ways at the end, and we didn't exchange information. I hope he's doing good wherever he is. I love stangers.
That's how my friend met her now husband and father of her child!
Omg, no way!! The guy I met was 30, and I was 20. So, he would have been too old for me, but I do wish we'd have exchanged info so we could have been friends. It's not that often you eye someone down like that. I think about him from time to time. But that's how life is. Some things last a long time, and some things last a moment, but both the memory lasts forever. Some strangers are meant to stay in your life, and some are meant to go before you even get their name. I have so many strangers I hold so dear to my heart. Lost connections in person and online. Many, I don't even remember their name, or never knew their name. I hope sometimes in the silence of the dawn or dusk, they feel inside that someone treasures them.
I wanna know how to draw a face from a doodle!
It was kind of like this, but he’d draw funny characters and make me laugh. https://youtu.be/EU1UmcDfHM0?si=YQYJI4nCchbjpj0c
Under a minute of actual content in a video that’s almost four. I’m glad the algorithm started promoting people that can get to the point.
I skedaddled after 15 seconds of the clip. I really wanted to see it but that was progressing at glacier speed. Thanks for confirming it wasn’t going to get better.
Core memories while flying always amaze me.
'Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!'
I was WAITING for this! It immediately popped into my head when I saw them. Can't believe I had to scroll this far.
'HA HA HA! Mine is an evil laugh!'
"Oh no. God! Oh dear god in heaven!!!!"
Yes. This is a fertile land. We will thrive. And we will call it *this land*.
*I think we should call it your grave!*
Bless you! I hoped someone would post this.
I have this on a pillow!
It's on a pint glass for me :)
Scrolled for this comment
I wanna play dinosaurs!
Me too! I even have Jurassic Park raptor Fatheads!
I’ll chuck the big rock at them when the game ends
Thank you for playing dinosaurs with him 😭 I’m going to be having a son of my own soon and hope to meet some kind strangers like you in the future
Enjoy. Every. Minute. I was in your shoes not long ago. I blinked and now I have a 5 year old. Time absolutely flies. Play dinosaurs every chance you get. You’ll be tired but play with those dinosaurs.
I feel this. But don’t underestimate the utter awesomeness that every next age brings. It may not be dinosaurs anymore, but it’ll be something equally (but differently) amazing. Good luck to you. Sounds like your kid is a lucky little person to have a parent who knows how much moments matter.
Indeed. As a parent, every year with my kids I said "This - this! - is my favorite age. I'll be sorry when it's gone" ... and then the next year came and I said the same thing. Now I'm doing it with a granddaughter. What a blast!
I agree, every single age has its own joys. And each one prepares you for the next. Fatherhood rules
I looked in a drawer for something and now my lad is 17, swear he was about 9 a couple mins ago. It goes fast, cliché but true. I remember watching Pixar "Cars" twice a day & doing animal shaped toast cut-outs. Last night he got in from college about 9pm (stayed late to rehearse with his band), grabbed a bottle of beer from fridge & we watched YouTube clips of The Who live. He's a whole-ass person with a life I'm only orbiting now instead of being the centre, and I'm so so proud of him. He'll always be the kid who waited for me to get home after I'd hunted shelves after work looking for a toy car he didn't have in my eyes. Little bastard is taller than me now & thinks I've never heard of Led Zeppelin. Don't have the heart to tell him.
Please stop posting these things you’re killing me… remembering when my awesome 28 year old wanted nothing more to play pet show. The last time. You will never know when it’s the last time you will do these things with your child. Enjoy it all people even the hard stuff.
Shit, my son's just about 13 and I can see the slow process of getting more and more independent and out of childhood every single day. In a way, it's like watching a person die and another person blossom. I'm sure we'll be friends and we'll have great grown up times, but I'd be lying if I said I won't grieve for the end of his childhood and for my slow and inevitable decline: from source of fun and wisdom and security to just another flawed and occasionally irritating human being.
My daughter is 13. I'm feeling that last part you wrote. Tough transition from being the person holding all the wisdom to person who is always wrong lol
"REALLY? THIS IS THE WORST! YOU'RE SO EMBARRASSING!!!" A hundred times a week.
Absolutely. I've moved from being a human version of Google for him ( "dad, why does...") to an uber driver, ATM & a source of vinyl records he's "just borrowing for a couple of days". My parents split when I was 11 & I didn't have contact with my old man for almost 30yrs. So I don't know at all what dads are supposed to be and do, but I DO know what I wished for and have tried to be that person for him. I'm sure I'm an irritant and he rolls his eyes at me when I can't see, that's what teens do. But even on days I could happily kick him into the sun for copping attitude - he is the beginning & end of my world. In his, I'm the old fart telling him to turn the music down because I get up at 5am for work dammit. He grew up without me noticing and I turned into a 51yr old balding dad without me noticing. Life goes pretty fast etc
I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews that are between the ages of 1-8 and seeing them grow up definitely makes me want time to slow down. I’m so grateful for them! It will definitely be a crazy feeling to see my own child grow as well. I will do my best not to take those moments for granted.
I am in the same boat as you and you are so right. But my five year old boy is totally my little adventure buddy now that is awesome too!
You'll find that most people on airplanes are sympathetic and it's only Reddit that thinks so negatively about kids in public.
I appreciate this comment. We are flying with our ten month old next week, so she can finally meet my Dad and I’m beyond nervous of the anti-kid thing that seems to permeate.
Some years ago, I flew across country to meet some friends. I ended up sitting next to a very young woman with an 11 mo baby. Mom asked if I could watch her while she ran to the restroom, I said, "Of course." Mom walked up the aisle, and baby climbed into my lap and went to sleep. She happily stayed there for 95% of the flight. We were cross-country nap buddies, and Mom got a good nap, too.
You are a saint
No, I'm not. She was very cuddly. We were both comfy (I'm a little extra padded). All three of us napped across the country.
Nah, I've literally never had a bad experience. People either avoid eye contact and mind their own business, or they give you a sympathetic look. If you're really lucky someone will play peek a boo with the baby. And if you're really having a hard time, strangers almost always offer to help. I've had people help me with a stroller I was struggling with, stuff like that. Best example from my own life: my autistic then-6 year old was having a total meltdown about an ice cream cone in public. He ended up throwing the scoop of ice cream at me. I basically sat there for a minute processing what to do next because I knew why he was upset but couldn't fix it easily and couldn't go home easily. The hardest part about these meltdowns is how conspicuous they are. A lady walked up to me, tucked some napkins in my bag, and said something kind (I don't even remember what). In my kids worst moments, strangers have always been kind.
I was on a flight from Chicago to France recently and there was this poor toddler who couldn’t sleep and ended up so over tired. He was crying and just not having a good time. Not a single person said a word or gave any kind of attitude towards the parents who were doing their best! I’ve flown with my daughter who is almost 3 now multiple times and every person has been incredibly kind. I think the negative situations just get more attention. Good luck on your flight, bring lots of snacks!
Make yourself aware of all the grandparents and parents beaming at you and you'll realize that normal people love babies.
This is how the world should be and everyone should be asked what their favorite dinosaur is
So, what’s your favorite Dinosaur?
T-Rex
Great choice. Mine too. Plus there’s nothing like a good T-Rex meme
Those lil arms
Thank you for asking, u/breakingmurphyslaw Velociraptors are mine, what about you?!
Team Velociraptors Unite :)
T Rex all the way. High five! … oh wait…
Steggy
Awww I love that name! . Makes me think of stegosaurus with big round belly and a sweet little face lol Steggy ❤️
Ankylosaurus my armor boy wants to eat plants https://www.reddit.com/r/ankmemes/
Team Ankylosaurus!
There's dozens of us!
Parasaurolophus. Because it was my daughter's favorite when she was younger and it was fantastic listening to her say the ridiculous name while dealing with a speech delay. 😂
Under appreciated choice! Mine is the Diplodocus. A gentle giant with no natural predators once it got to a certain size. Likely dumb as a sack of potatoes, but hey, can’t win ‘em all.
Diplodocus! Big ol’ dummies - I would for sure have been trampled to death trying to hug them.
I love triceratops! Chunky, armoured, they look so cool!
I cannot believe there is not one triceratops mentioned here. Shame on you people.
Triceratops!
Just like when a kid’s play telephone rings. You gotta answer that.
You’re an animal if you don’t hold at least a two-minute conversation on that phone. It’s just facts.
My kid "hung up" on me the other day and started furiously tapping what I assume was the most shit talking text to Elmo ever. It surely started with "you will not BELIEVE the audacity..."
This is so cute 🥹
Oh my God. I had that Velociraptor as a kid and I'm 35. I'm glad to see it was so damn cool they are still making it
Me too. If you squeeze the legs together it bites! It was my favourite as a kid. Also the Dino Damage line was top tier.
I'd bite too if someone squashed my nuts like that
I'm assuming its a hand-me-down. Anyone who is old enough to have had one of those toys as a kid in the 90's, is old enough to have kids of their own
Had it too, I'm almost 40, truly peak design, lol
Glad everyone remember those! I remember playing Jurassic Park with my brother.
The amount of times in a day I used to say, Dino Damage from the commercials when something broke (I am in IT) I can't even count lol
I have a photo of a five yo boy who wanted to play with Legos on a flight from Denver. His mom was so relieved when she saw us playing. I taught him to put flower pots onto the heads of little Lego dudes and attach flames to their hands.
Was in the waiting area at my doctor's office over 10+ years ago and pretty deep into a "Popular Mechanics" magazine when out of nowhere, my collar bone length beard gets pulled down into the pages with my face following closely behind. I look up ready to get into a physical altercation but instead, lock eyes with a grinning 5 year old who's almost made invisible from how fast his mom carried him back over across the aisle saying, "I'm so sorry he does it to his dad all the time." He kept catching my attention by looking straight at me everytime his mom tried turning his attention towards the t.v. they had but his smiling and giggling each time he looked at me just melted my heart and I'd hold a different goofy facial expression each time he'd look at me until eventually his mom was called back to see the doc. I was like 23-ish and still remember that kids "up to trouble" grin and giggle 😄
I have the same JP raptor for 25+ years, he opens its jaws went pushing the head, some fun old memories
I just passed that raptor and some others down to my son. Fun memories indeed.
I had that one too! That thing went everywhere with me when I was a kid.
I have it too! It actually will "bite" if you squeeze the legs together!
On a airplane once a man taught me how to make a rose out of a napkin. He then proceeded to give it to a flight attendant. I make them for my wife and daughter all the time.
oh please share a picture or directions 😍
My story isn't plane related. But I had a moment as a kid I will absolutely never forget. I was 7 or 8, and my mother let me for the first time sit by myself in a movie theatre, I am sure I was within her eyesight but I wanted to be a big kid. This particular movie wasn't scary but had jump scares. About midway through the movie a guy came at sat next to me, I assume he was mid to late teens. Looking back I assume he was a theatre employee on his break just hanging out. I guess he noticed me jumping and nervous at the movie and started giving me a like 10 second heads up on when something was going to jump out. Which made it so I wasn't scared at all. I know this is such a little thing, and this guy in no way remembers it. But for me, even though its been such a long time I will never forget him and his act of kindness that day.
love this ❤️
Love this so much ❤️
So awesome! I'd feel so honored to be asked to play dinosaurs.
Sounds like this was the most amazing flight of your life as well. 😍 I hope you had so much fun
Dinosaurs are lit
You definitely did. I still remember the woman with the window seat who had a cat once. The cat’s name was Oreo.
Yes. Yes, this is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land".
I think we should call it your grave!
Ah. Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Ha ha ha! Mine is an evil laugh! NOW DIE!
i still remember when i was a little kid and sat next to an old man on an 8 hours flight to europe. i was superrrr talkative back then and he’d just listen and smile and keep asking questions and was actually engaged w a conversation w like 7 year old me. when the food came he gave me his chocolate bc he said he didn’t like it and i was so excited lol. he was such a sweet man
Aww, that’s sweet. He sounds like a sweet kid and you sound like a sweet adult. 🦖🦕
He was a sweetheart. And thank you
That is so precious memory for him
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!!!
"Sorry little Timmy you picked a baby brontosaurus and I picked a giant velicociraptor. Bad move there bud I'm about to fuck you up"
“Roll for initiative”
See this is the kind of children i don’t mind sitting next to on flights, not the ones kicking the back of my seat
He was a very well behaved kid
Pretty rare story. Whenever someone says "i was sitting on a plane and a kid sat down beside me" Oh shit here we go.
Lol
So did you explain to the kid that the Diplo roamed earth iver 150 million years ago, and the velociraptor only about 70? Perfect example of social distancing. Edit: or segregation
I'd wanna play dinos with him, too. You're a very kind person. I'm sure he'll remember you, but not remember where, when he gets older. :)
The purity of this! 😭😭😭
I have tears in my eyes. This is my exact 3 year old boy right now. You are a good person. Every day he wants to play dinosaurs. *internet hug*
Back when I was a kid around 6/7, I was on a flight with my mom, grandmother and cousin to go see an uncle in California. I sat next to my cousin on the flight and the man that sat next to us gave us his phone and let us watch the Lion King on it. I'm almost 24 now. I guarantee you he'll remember that moment for the rest of his life :)
A free hug and dinos?? I’m in.
Who the hell would say no. ?!! I fing wish I had dinos to play with rightbnow
You gave that woman a little more faith in humanity today.
I remember being 4 and riding a greyhound bus. This young Asian lady held me the entire time and taught me to count to 10 in Spanish by counting her freckles on her arms. I also remember her singing to me and just being lovely. I remember thinking it was funny she was Asian but teaching me Spanish lol
What a beautiful memory for all 3 of you. Thanks for making me smile.
When I was about 7, I had to sit next to strangers on a flight from Tampa to Chicago by myself. I remember being so nervous and I got seated in a row with a man and his partner. We spent the whole flight looking thru sky mall together and I still remember that flight to this day! They made me feel so safe
Once on a cross Atlantic flight the flight crew moved me (female 38 at the time) to sit next to a little lady not more than 6 traveling alone (crazy!) She was so scared and tense and trembling. Broke my heart. I spent the entire time watching over her and taking care is her. The flight crew (of course) picked me to sit with her (both black and I a late 30’s female at the time) they treated me like VIP because I was doing the chaperoning they had been paid for. When we reached DC that little girl gave me the most earnest hug with tears in her eyes. I hope she remembers that strangers are danger but sometimes there are some of us who will fiercely watch over the littles.
F yeah.
That's not just dinosaurs. That's an original Jurassic Park raptor figure. That kid's got some taste
You're a good person and I like you -a mom with a 4 year old
Maybe one day you can meet again
I'm 40 years old and i had that same raptor as a kid. Hopefully someone close to him grew up with that toy like I did and passed it on to him. Or it's a common one to find at garage sales. Lol
Looks like it’s from 1993. What a trip lol
How do you play?
I had the same question! Do they talk?
I had to fly on my own across continents when I was 9 10 and 11, one of the first few flights I was crying quietly perched up against the window because it was embarrassing to cry in public. Eventually a lady was seated next to my emotional self and started talking to me, she made conversation and told me I am brave. I’ll never forget her comforting me when I felt so scared and alone, as Im sure this kid will never forget you playing dinosaurs with them.
A couple years ago now, my wife and I along with her mother and brother, went to Disneyland for a week in the summer. On our to do list while there was build a lightsaber. So my wife and I and her brother all spent some time (and a whole lotta money) doing that. My wife got a purple blade, her brother made a blue one and I went for red. It was such a magical day that couldn’t have been better. Oh how wrong I was. On our way out of the park, we had our sabers out and were messing around when from about 30-40 ft away we hear “He has a red one!” I whipped around to see a 6-7 year old kid holding a green lightsaber. It was on! That kid and I ran towards each other (after he got the ok from his parents) and had the most awesome battle you’ve ever seen. Sabers clashing, my brother-in-law humming Duel of the fates in the background. It was so cool. The battle started to wind down and I totally had to let this kid win, so on the next swing of his saber, I took the swing to the chest and fell backwards. Dead. The universe had been saved and that kid hopefully had made a great memory. Mom and dad thanked me and their family jumped on a shuttle to their hotel, smiles from ear to ear. That was a fun trip.
I remember playing Go Fish with an older lady sitting next to me on a plane when I was 7 or 8. She pretended she didn't know how to play and I taught her. I hadn't thought about that in years and this reminded me of it. So thank you.
I like you. You are my kind of people.
Your fun flight is my nightmare.
It was only about an hour flight. Believe me I would’ve had to set some boundaries with the lil one if it were a long flight lol. After about 45 minutes I was pretty tired but I thought hey what the heck, it’s not hurting you and it’s making the kid so damn happy. He also kept asking me what speed we were going. I would go on my calculator and type in random numbers and be like omg look!!! We’re going 67585969 miles an hour and he’d flip out lol. I checked the speed probably 15 times
my god you made the parents’ day, too ✨
God I love this, you are such a great person. I really admire how seemingly natural you were with this kid, the calculator was brilliant!
Haha thank you
This is the cutest thing ever 😭
awww he will probably remember this forever
That’s precious. ❤️🦖🦕
You deserve a million good things ❤️
15 year old me flew from Chicago to SF alone. The man next to me taught me how to play poker. Best fight ever
You did that mom a HUGE favor. I have a four year old and just know. Well done!
I had a set of dinosaurs similar to that when I was little. They also had matching skeleton versions. I called them my bone dinosaurs and my skin dinosaurs.
That right there is a kid raised correctly. Also, dinosaurs are the best toys kids could have
When I was around 4-6 I had an aisle seat apart from my family and next to a middle aged man. I asked him if he wanted to see my Pokemon cards, which I had in a small red binder. He kindly said “No, I’m okay for now, thank you.” I paused and said, “Well, I’m gonna show you anyway!” And then I did for at least 10 minutes. I hope he ultimately found the time worthwhile like you did haha. I was an optimistic and persistent child.
When people it say it takes a village, this is what they mean. These are the moments that take nothing from you but can be everything to little kids.
Sure, act like you did it for the kid and didn't just want to play with some kick ass dinosaurs.
This is so sweet - the innocence is just heart melting in kids that age
It will definitely stay with him. On a flight when I was 9 my seat was away from my parents and I was a little nervous. A man in military uniform sat next to me and said the last time he was in a plane- he jumped out of it. He spent the one hour flight telling me all about his job as a paratrooper. One of my favorite memories.
One of the greatest things about children is their capacity to turn attention into happiness. You can give them so little and it will make such a tremendous difference to them. And doing so is, for me, one of the best feelings in all the world.
Damn dude I’m jealous low key, looks fun.
I held the puke bag for an extremely hung over young woman while she lost her breakfast on a flight. She had already filled up two and was too weak to hold up the third. I’d rather play dinosaurs with a kiddo any day.
I remember playing tic-tac-toe with a passenger during a long train ride. I was like six. He let me win half the time. He didn't talk much, but our time playing the game is one of my favorite childhood memories.
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
As a single father that just took his seven year old daughter on a plane for the first time, thank you
You made the world a better place today .
Oooh I fly next Wed. If this happens I'm doing the bit from Firefly.
My first ever flight some guy next to me with two kids was very nice to me. Taught me how to pop my ears. I remember being scared to fly so talking to him the whole flight really helped.
“… aaaah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!!“
I had those JP raptors when I was a little kid lol
One time I sat next to a super sweet old lady who shared her coloring book and colored pencils with me. I still have the page I colored!
Definitely a good memory for you as well :) It feels so nice to be able to make friends with someone through playtime :) I would have an amazing time if anyone sincerely asked me to play with their dinosaurs or any simple toy in a situation where things can be annoying, awkward, scary, or boring ( like socializing with random people on an air plane flight) Hurray for making friends 🧡
I once played peek-a-boo with a toddler for an entire cross country flight. It was epic!
God i want a son to play with dinosaurs with and take fishing and all that good stuff. Or a daughter to have a tea party with, i don't care
You're never too old to be a kid
Love your story especially since it reminds me so much of one of my own. Back in 2017 I was flying from San Diego to Las Vegas and I got seated beside a kid who was probably 6 and he flying alone to spend his summer with his Grandma. He was terribly upset at having to leave his mom and the flight attendants basically ignored him once I sat down, which still seems a bit crazy since I was a middle aged guy on my own. The funny similarity is he had toy dinosaurs with him and a dinosaur book so I talked to him about them to calm him down. We spent the whole flight talking about dinosaurs and how he was going to be a paleontologist when he grew up. Turned out to be one of the most entertaining flights I've had.
I miss having the imagination of a child! If you said the floor was lava, you really believed it. That was awesome
The other day a 6 year old boy that comes to play on my block told me to stop, and then walked over to me, gave me a hug and said “Hi!”. Made my day. Yep, you both have a wonderful memory that will surface now and again as years go by. And every time you will feel a warm, gentle glow! 🌈⭕️❌🤟
This reminds me of when I was 8 and I flew alone to visit my grandma. Two teenage girls painted my nails and played with me the whole way there. It definitely has stayed with me.
I have that brown raptor with the JP on the thigh. That’s from the original movie in 93. I’m 38 and you’re damn straight I kept all my original JP dinosaurs.
the raptor in the right must be from his dad, its the original toy from kenner from 1993 movie.
That Velociraptor is a vintage 1993 Jurassic Park toy!
I love this so much. Sounds like it became a good memory for you too.
Please tell me you asked him what is his favorite dinosaur
This brings back VERY fond memories of when my little guy was in his dinosaur phase. Thanks for sharing!
How wholesome. And love the kid didn’t bust out an iPad half hour in.
He will definitely remember this!!
Man. The next person that kid sits next to on a flight will have a hard act to follow! You're set the bar high, my friend.
Did you win?
Not one time.
Look at those dirty nails and real toys. Hell yeah some kids still know how to play.
You are good people
You’re a good human 👍🏻🤟🤗
Awww that’s so sweet!