Once upon a time during a flight, a mom decided to destroy her son’s iPad, thinking it would calm him down. Little did she know that her actions would lead to unexpected consequences. Even at 30,000 feet in the air, karma has a way of working its magic.

My name is Bethany, I’m 35 years old, and that two-hour trip turned out to be a life-changing experience. I was sitting comfortably beside my five-year-old daughter, Ella, feeling relieved as the plane took off. Ella had her headphones on, engrossed in cartoons on her iPad. She was enjoying herself, slow and steady.

“Ella, are you comfortable?” I asked, tucking her hair behind her ear while answering her question.

Ella nodded and replied, “Yes, Mommy. Can I have some juice later?”

I smiled and said, “Of course, just let me know when you’re thirsty,” as I reached for my book. Across the aisle, I noticed a couple and their young child, who seemed to be about the same age as Ella. The boy was restless, fidgeting in his seat and being quite loud.

“I’m bored!” he yelled and then hit the seat in front of him.

His mother scolded him, “I told you there won’t be any entertainment on this trip. Be a good kid and behave.”

The boy’s attention shifted to Ella’s iPad, and his whining only grew louder. This caught my attention, and I couldn’t help but think, “Oh boy, this flight might be a long one.”

Two hours into the flight, someone tapped on my shoulder, and I looked up to see the mother sitting on the other side of the aisle, smiling at me.

“Hello there! I couldn’t help but notice your daughter using that iPad. As responsible parents, we’ve decided not to let our child use any devices during the holiday break. That thing needs to be thrown away as soon as possible. It’s only making him more frustrated,” she said with a hint of entitlement in her voice.

I was taken aback by her directness and blinked in surprise. “Excuse me?” I replied.

“Just… it’s not fair to him, you know?” she continued.

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself to stay calm. “I’m sorry, but I can’t…” I started to explain, but she interrupted.

“Is there any possibility? It would ruin our family trip. Wouldn’t you rather prevent your daughter from being glued to a screen?” she asked, her happiness quickly fading away.

Trying to maintain my composure, I said, “Listen,” and she reluctantly listened. “Maybe your son should learn the same lesson you’re teaching him.”

Let’s call her “Entitled Mom (EM)” because her entitled behavior was quite apparent.

It’s not surprising that some parents find it difficult to say no to their kids these days. Children easily become accustomed to being spoiled.

I picked up my book, hoping to end the conversation. But it seemed like her eyes were burning a hole through my head.

“Mommy, is everything okay?” Ella briefly looked away from the TV screen and asked.

“Don’t worry, my dear. Everything is fine. You just enjoy your cartoons,” I assured her.

The following hour was challenging. The boy’s tantrums escalated, and his cries echoed throughout the cabin. The couple would occasionally give us mean looks, as if we were responsible for their lack of planning. It made me chuckle.

The boy pointed to Ella’s iPad and screamed, “I want that! It’s not fair!”

His mother leaned over and said, “Yes, honey, life isn’t always fair. Some people only think about themselves.”

Trying to ignore the chaos, I focused on my book, clenching my teeth. The words jumbled up as I attempted to block out the noise. Thankfully, Ella was engrossed in her pictures and oblivious to the turmoil.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise beside us. EM reached for her purse but accidentally knocked Ella’s tray table instead. In slow motion, I watched as the iPad slid off the tray, landing on the ground with a resounding crack.

Ella’s scream shattered the silence. “Mom, my iPad!” she cried out.

EM’s face contorted into fake surprise. “I’m sorry! That wasn’t my intention! It was an accident, I swear.”

Infuriated, I exclaimed, “What’s wrong with you?” Her apparent satisfaction was infuriating.

She shrugged, barely hiding her pride. “Accidents happen. Maybe this will teach her she doesn’t need so much screen time anymore.”

Before I could say anything that would make a pirate blush, a flight attendant intervened.

As the flight attendant examined the broken iPad, she sympathetically said, “I’m sorry to hear about your device, madam. Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do while we’re in the air. If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”

I turned to comfort my daughter, knowing that the problem wasn’t solved. But it seemed like karma had other plans.

The boy’s anger reached new heights due to the iPad incident. He kicked the seat in front of him and pulled on the tray table, causing a ruckus. Finally, he abruptly stood up from his seat.

EM sternly told him to calm down. “I’m exhausted! This has been the worst trip ever!”

Watching EM out of the corner of my eye, I felt a mix of sympathy for the child and a slight sense of satisfaction.

Ella pulled on my arm, her eyes still wet from crying. “Mommy, can you fix it?”

I hugged her tightly, apologizing, “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. We’ll have it checked when we land. How about we take a break and read a book instead?”

As we prepared to deboard the plane, a commotion caught my attention. The hyperactive boy accidentally knocked over EM’s coffee cup, spilling the dark liquid onto her lap and into her open wallet.

She panicked, trying to salvage her belongings. “No, no, no!”

In her haste, she dropped something from her bag, and to my surprise, it was her passport.

Before anyone could react, her son’s foot stamped on the fallen paper, sinking it into the coffee-stained carpet.

EM’s anger was palpable. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a hint of regret in her eyes, but it quickly vanished as her son started whining again.

“Are you ready, Ella?” I asked as we gathered our belongings.

“Mommy, can we have ice cream at the airport?” Ella asked, her excitement shining through.

“Don’t we all deserve a little treat?” I laughed and embraced the lighthearted moment.

As we disembarked, I couldn’t help but reflect on the strange turn of events. That simple two-hour flight taught me valuable lessons about the unpredictability of travel, the importance of patience, and the truth about karma.

As I glanced back, I saw EM still struggling to resolve the issue with her lost passport. It served as a sobering reminder that the consequences of our actions, whether good or bad, can often bring unexpected outcomes.

On that trip, more than just Ella’s iPad was broken. EM lost something far more precious.

I held Ella’s hand tightly as we headed to the baggage claim. Sometimes, life’s most important lessons are learned in the most challenging ways.

Have you ever experienced a horrifying encounter during a flight? Share your stories in the comments below!

One thought on “Entitled Mom Destroys My Daughter’s iPad on a Flight—Her Regret Came Fast”

It’s not fair to ask your parents to live in your garage just because they didn’t do the same to you when you were younger. It’s unfair to surprise them like that when they arrive at your house. Let’s hope your children don’t do the same to you. Karma can be a powerful force.