I first noticed the man with the two children when we went through the security check and was glad I didn’t have to manage getting my shoes off while pushing a stroller and handling two kids. I noticed him again while we were in the boarding area for our flight from Wichita to Denver. He held the (I’m guessing four month old baby) in his arms as he stood by the stroller and his little girl (I’m guessing about three or four) played nearby. The little girl made the baby laugh and squeal each time she ran by and touched the baby on the foot.
Soon the waiting passengers dispersed from the boarding area as an airline representative announced a delay for maintenance on the plane. The dad (no mom around) put the baby in the stroller and went to a seating area behind us. I saw the little girl continue to play around and she was deep into imaginative play. She had no toys that I could see but she had some kind of game going on and she talked to herself and danced about and sang. After awhile her dad let her go try the hand sanitizer dispenser on the wall. The first time she missed catching the stuff and it fell to the floor. The next time she caught it and her dad praised her. I never saw her fuss or whine. She was quite active though and her dad let her run from one spot to another and back. The baby fell asleep in the stroller.
After about an hour we were allowed to board the plane for the flight to Denver. The pilot said due to the snow and low visibility in the Denver area he was not allowed to shave any time off the route and it would take the full time of an hour and fifteen minutes or so.I have heard so many horror stories from mom’s of their flights with children that I wondered how this family would do.I was sitting on the aisle about two rows back from the man with the two children traveling alone. I still wonder why he was traveling alone, I’ll never know.
He held the baby the whole flight and his little girl had the window seat so I couldn’t see or hear her really. I could see the baby’s legs kicking and heard a little fussing once and saw the dad bouncing the baby but then things seemed to settle down, maybe he gave a bottle. Soon the little legs were still, and dad seemed to be interacting with the older child. He did not take any beverage when it was offered nor the chocolate chip cookie later.
Another younger infant further up front cried quite a bit on the flight and could not be comforted. I never saw the man two aisles up lose his cool or even raise his voice with the children. He seemed completely in control juggling those two kids even dealing with the unexpected delay without a meltdown. What a marvel!
The only time he needed extra hands was as we disembarked and he retrieved the stroller and was trying to unfold it in the jetbridge area and struggled as he was still holding the baby. Another man stopped to help him, I thought that was great too. The little girl wanted to run ahead up the long ramp after being cooped up and she got ahead of her dad. Erin and I were just ahead of her and told her to wait for her dad and she did. I wish I had stopped to tell him what a wonderful job he did with the children.
All this to say I greatly admired this dad and pray that my son and son-in-law will be equally confident and capable with their children after a little practice of course.
Lou
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