Wanna thank you both for that interminable earworm 

Glad to oblige!

No, he was saying “I understand that privilege has helped me get where I am, but I *also* worked hard.” I think it would do a lot for the conversation on privilege if both sides acknowledged that one does not negate the presence of the other, though the ratios are rarely equal.

I flew with my son (now 3) at 5 months and again at 15 months. I was so grateful for the kind people that reassured me it was okay.

So many comments I agree with. My kid was a relative angel on the flights I’ve been with him, but it is so stressful because you have to be prepared for everything and the adults around you give you looks of displeasure all the time. Yeah...I get it...you don’t want to sit by me.

Right? When I am stuck on a flight and some baby is crying nearby (or even if one is just there) and some parent does the whole “I’m sorry” I make a point to actually just say “I don’t care. It’s a baby. We will all live. Have a nice flight.”

One time I flew on a 15 hour international flight with a very unhappy 11 month old. She finally passed out on me after I sang her to sleep. I didn't think I was so loud but the lady sitting in the aisle across leaned over and said, "I love how you just kept singing to her while she was crying. You were so calm, it…

THIS. I have travelled with my babies and I felt like I was managing a time bomb. Even if the baby isn’t crying, there is a palpable judgement and dread from some other passengers. A smile for me or the baby really helped me not to be a ball of nerves the whole time 

Note: my twins are young and I’m no expert (are any of us?). Sometimes I have no idea what will soothe them. Sometimes faces do work! They love exaggerated faces and noises—it often makes them giggle.
When I’ve been in non-flying situations (I haven’t flown with them yet), like church, concerts, etc., I can tell that…

You sound like a screaming baby yourself. Grow up.

This is not a particularly hot take, but I have 2 kids. One of them is 9 months, the other is almost 4. Guess which one is the most annoying to fly with? (It’s the older one).

this is 100% the correct take.

You can’t tell a baby they’re being rude. You CAN tell a 3 year old they are. 

I would much prefer the parents of 3-13 year olds to march onto a plane wearing a sandwich board that reads “I’m aware of my responsibility to make sure my child does not kick your seat, throw food, or otherwise disturb you. Please let me know if I’m failing” 

It’s all fun and games until you get stuck behind the asshole parent that uses cloth diapers on a long-haul flight and brings them all back to their seat. I’ve never seen so many people hold back their gag reflex at once.

Who are these people?  You chose to go to an amazing place, and then you just fuck it up?  Christ, just go to Taco Bell and trash the bathroom, and if it gets bad enough they will knock it down and build another one.  Joshua Tree?  Not so much. 

Hello. Hi. I’ve been out of the country for 18 days.

The destruction at Joshua Tree is sickening and depressing. We really are the worst. 

My first thought was brain tumor because it could have explained some of his erratic behavior. I personally don’t think it’s crass to speculate how somebody died (obviously, since I just did it) as long you’re not trashing them or spreading outlandish rumors.

I’m somehow both shocked and not at all surprised. He was clearly unwell. It’s probably crass to speculate how his life ended, but his erratic behavior over the past year make suicide or drug overdose (or some other drug/alcohol related death) seem like the most likely possibilities.