Passenger faces flak from moms for suggesting parents should hand tablets to noisy kids

Enduring a train ride with noisy, unruly kids can be tough, especially when parents don’t intervene. Many frustrated travelers have taken to the internet to vent about such experiences. One such passenger, @OlympicsFanGirl on Mumsnet, shared her irritation about having to tolerate loud children during a lengthy journey. When she suggested that parents quiet their kids with a tablet and headphones, it ignited a heated debate in the comments.

The woman explained that it was her second long train journey that weekend, and the noise was driving her up the wall. "Once again, an entire carriage has to endure loud, whiny kids," she noted. "It's grating, it's constant, and we still have hours to go. The parents don't seem to care," she added. She wasn't alone in her frustration—others in the carriage were rolling their eyes, sighing, and exchanging weary looks. "Just give them tablets and headphones so the rest of us can have some peace," she suggested. Her comment about giving kids "a tablet" sparked outrage among many parents.

"Children should be seen and not heard! How very dare they be childlike while traveling on public transport! I bet you never got excited on a day trip or raised your voice to be heard over your siblings while in public. And you will never have whined," @Rhaidimiddim said sarcastically. "Well done for the parents not giving their children screens and headphones when out and about. There is plenty of time for that when they are in their teens. OP, let children be children," chimed in @ThatMellowMoose. "Get yourself some headphones and a tablet," added @Blahblah34. 

Seeing a lot of contradictory comments, the passenger clarified that she didn't have a problem with well-behaved children. "My issues are with the one who is currently jumping up and down in his chair and ramming the blind up and down, the one shouting, 'Mummy, mummy, mummy,' non-stop for the last 2 hours, the one who sat behind me kicking my chair over and over again," she wrote. She wished that people would parent their kids so that others could travel in peace. For those who suggested she use headphones, she clarified that she had a hearing problem. Despite removing her hearing aid and putting on headphones the noise was overpowering.

Many other users could relate to the passenger's woes and agreed with her perspective on parenting. "If your children are being noisy and disturbing everyone around them, which is pretty normal behavior for many kids, parents should engage the kids through snacks, books, games, drawing, films or whatever works. Letting the kids disturb lots of people in a crowded setting is not great," commented @bunsforbreakfast. "I do agree that parents should be conscious of the impact of their kids in public spaces and teach their kids not to be anti-social. You can pack games, toys, and books if you don’t fancy a screen," added @Muthaofcats. The passenger updated cheerfully that eventually, a few parents silenced their kids by giving them a tablet and a headphone.