Parents faced judgment on flight as kid had a meltdown—one note from the flight attendants changed things

Being on a flight with kids is an unpredictable experience for most parents. A mom whose son is usually a good flyer experienced that when her 8-year-old named Creed was feeling overwhelmed and was having a hard time regulating his emotions during a flight. He was having a meltdown around every 10 minutes on their flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Montego Bay, Jamaica. It wasn't easy for the mom as she faced judgment from the passenger right ahead of them. But soon enough, flight attendants stepped in to de-escalate the situation and reassure the mom, Rochelle Johnson, per a post on her Instagram, @iambeauticurve.

The family was headed to Jamaica for a wedding when the incident took place. "What was supposed to be a beautiful, joy-filled trip started with tears, judgment and emotional exhaustion." Johnson shared that Creed was crying and overstimulated. "He normally flies with no issue, but this flight was completely different for whatever reason. Still, we were managing the best we could." Unfortunately, the family couldn't deal with the passenger in front of them, who ended up making a "scene" because of the crying child behind her. "She complained about Creed and caused a commotion that escalated things even more." The mom and son could feel the energy from the passenger and it "stressed" them out even more.

However, the crew on the Delta flight stepped in at the right moment to handle the situation. "The agitated passenger was reseated and the crew still saw us. They cared. They were patient, warm and human and that changed everything." The crew also handed the family a handwritten note and some cookies. Johnson pointed out that it might be a "small gesture" for the crew, but it meant a lot to her family. "Every travel experience has the potential to go a little wild when you have a child, especially a child like ours." The mom added, "I’m just sharing to encourage people to choose compassion in moments like these, because families like mine deserve to get to our destinations with dignity too. Let’s normalize that."

She thanked the crew once again for showing them "what inclusion can actually look like in action." Johnson shared with TODAY.com that her son is on the autism spectrum. The note read, "To the Johnson Family. Hopefully, you had a pleasant travel experience today. It was a pleasure having you on board. I want to personally apologize for the passengers around you who lack empathy and compassion." It continued, "You are always welcome here with us and we are always happy to provide assistance in any way we can. I hope you enjoy your trip." People appreciated the crew's gesture and shared their own experiences of traveling with kids in the comments section of the post.

@delta wrote, "Travel should be joyful for everyone. Thank you for trusting us with your family and for showing the world why inclusion matters. Crews like this make us proud, but passengers like you inspire us." @greenssweethome commented, "Compassion goes a long way…adults losing their minds over children says more about them than you. I’m so happy the staff showed love!" @thelaurenspearman remarked, "As a special needs mom and Delta employee, this makes me so proud! May God continue to bless your family abundantly and may the love and compassion shown drown out the ignorance displayed." The mom often shares snippets of Creed's life. In one video, she shared how her son likes routine and structure in his life.

You can follow Rochelle Johnson (@iambeauticurve) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.