Frustrated mom covered her crying 8-month-old’s mouth on a plane, worried about disturbing others — then a co-passenger said what she needed to hear
Pacifying babies on flights is always a hassle for most mothers. When certified parenting coach and Instagram user Michelle Kenney (@peaceandparenting) was traveling on a flight, she came across a mother trying to soothe her baby, who was crying constantly. When the frustrated mother covered her baby's mouth, the woman immediately said something that left her stunned. Sharing the story with her Instagram followers on Friday, April 3, 2026, the parenting coach called out a toxic trait seen often in society toward babies.
Kenney was on a flight when a couple sat next to her with their 8-month-old. The toddler kept crying throughout the flight, which left the mother struggling to calm her infant. Feeling embarrassed about the situation, the mother immediately covered the mouth of the child so that the baby's cry wouldn't disturb fellow passengers. However, Kenney, who witnessed this, asked her not to do so. She told her, "It's okay, you can let him cry." The coach noted that it was normal for babies to scream and cry. Kenney's immediate reaction likely helped the mother feel more at ease during the tense situation.
"What a terrible society we have where a baby crying is so disruptive, it makes a mom turn to a place of wanting to suppress her baby's cries, because she doesn’t know what else to do, all because she was scared that someone's going to judge her," Kenney noted. Critiquing the parental pressure of society, she opined that babies must be allowed to cry, stating that it's each one of our duties to help one another.
A study published by The Parenthood noted that parents must not be shamed when their babies cry. "Our babies' cries are designed by nature to sound distressing to us," the report noted. It stated that children must not just be labeled happy because of their lack of expressing tears, but must also be welcoming of all feelings. "Sometimes a baby will cry, a need will be met, and the baby will settle. But, anyone who's had a baby knows it's often not this simple, and sometimes babies just cry." Watching the mother feel embarrassed and scared of judgment broke the coach's heart, who did not want the mom to feel that she was being judged in there.
After the video was posted, the post garnered many reactions from internet users who echoed her sentiments. @zira_kfs recounted, "I was judged. A female flight attendant came up to me and scolded me, and I literally didn't know what to do. My son was 18 months old and screamed for 6-7 hours straight. I tried everything, but nothing worked."
@brittanydanielle30 remarked, "This is very true. Have more grace... more patience. More love and involvement to help. Villages don't seem to exist anymore sometimes." @daintyjane mentioned, "I always have compassion for the parents of crying babies, and let them know it's okay. And offer help if they need it. I've seen the glares from people who are bothered by it."
For more parenting tips, follow @peaceandparenting on Instagram.