Made The Flight Bear-able

(We are on a large family holiday. All of us are adults now with kids of our own. It’s a long flight so I take out the colouring books and crayons we brought.)

Eldest Sister: “Can we borrow some of them?”

Me: *slightly annoyed at the lack of preparation* “Sure.”

(An hour in, our daughter is getting bored again. I take out some storybooks and snacks.)

Other Sister: “[Child] is bored; could we borrow one?”

Me: “Fine.”

(After a long flight, we have a great holiday and reluctantly join the plane home. As none of the “borrowed” items came back, and with limited shops, we make do.)

Eldest Sister: “You don’t mind if we borrow some again?”

Me: “What happened to the last lot?”

Eldest Sister: *shrugs*

Other Sister: “Me, too!”

(Frustrated and annoyed how two grown women fail to prepare for their own children, but not wanting to ruin the holiday, we do our best to entertain our three-year-old with a few crayons and single colouring book. Quickly enough, she is bored and I have nothing left to entertain her.)

Me: *to my wife* “You know what?! Sod it. We are on holiday. Pass me the menu.” *to the flight attendant* “Can we have two drinks, a kids’ selection pack, and—” *silently pointing* “—one of those, please.”

Stewardess: *all smiles* “Of course, sir.”

(Our daughter might have been upset to leave, but when the pilot teddy bear came down the aisle, she forgot all about it. My sisters, however, had to deal with the begging and pleading from their kids, but of course, they failed to leave any money aside to prepare for the flight home. Two years later, my daughter still has the bear, in a place of pride in her room.)

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