I Was Slammed for Letting a Flight Attendant Spoon-Feed My Child on a Plane

In the age of viral videos and social media, a seemingly innocuous act can quickly become a topic of intense debate and varied opinions. This situation exactly unfolded for an American dad who recently posted a video showcasing a flight attendant’s unusual and distinctive approach towards his 5-year-old son during their journey in business class. The video, intended to praise the attendant’s kindness, unexpectedly stirred a whirlwind of mixed reactions online.

The boy was minding his own business.

Michael Rutherford and his young son were traveling in business class to Tokyo aboard Singapore Airlines when an unexpected moment caught the father’s attention. Excitedly sharing his experience in a Facebook travel group focusing on business and first-class journeys, Rutherford posted a video capturing a flight attendant spoon-feeding his 5-year-old son.

The video displayed the young boy comfortably seated with headphones on, engrossed in a screen on his lap. On his tray table lay a white tablecloth and two plates of food. Meanwhile, a flight attendant knelt in the aisle next to him, providing assistance by spoon-feeding him directly from his plate.

His dad was stunned by the flight attendant’s surprising gesture.

In the post, he expressed his surprise, exclaiming, “Omg ... I look behind me, and my 5-year-old son is being spoon-fed his chicken by the flight attendant.” And the man was also impressed by the attention given to each passenger, something he found almost unimaginable. He also inquired within the group if anyone else had ever had a similar experience.

The video sparked a wave of criticism.

Viewers quickly judged the video, preferring to accept it as is without further context. Criticisms arose about the father filming the event instead of feeding his son, which would have allowed the flight attendant to focus on her primary job.

After going viral on Instagram, the clip attracted mixed reactions. The attendant received praise, but the father and son faced backlash. A heavily liked comment read, “Flight attendants are wonderful, but it’s the parent’s job to feed the child, not the attendant’s.” Another widely liked comment highlighted, “Flight attendants are there for safety, not childcare.”

One viewer commented on the impressive service but pointed out the need for parental responsibility and empathy for the cabin crew. Another brought up issues of entitlement linked to wealth. Mr. Rutherford responded to the negativity, explaining his son preferred to sit by a friend, also five years old. Echoing similar sentiments, another comment with numerous likes stated, “Flight attendants aren’t babysitters; parents should take care of their children. It’s not fair for crew to feed a screen-dependent child.”

There was confusion about why the father chose to sit and film the incident, as it seemed to encourage entitled behavior. “This is totally shameful — these people are not your servants,” someone commented.

Others saw the positive aspect of the situation.

Many people were critical of the father and son’s actions, but some stood up for them. Comments included one that suggested the child was simply enjoying himself and receiving service from the flight attendant, so he should be allowed to do so. Another person speculated that the flight attendant might be missing her own children.

Amidst these differing viewpoints, the flight attendant received widespread praise for her service. An admirer commented, celebrating the young boy’s enjoyment and commending the flight attendant for her outstanding work.

In the end, the father of the 5-year-old did not post any more videos following the controversy. He expressed his appreciation for the business-class experience on Singapore Airlines and chose to focus on sharing the experiences from his and his son’s trip to Japan.

When you post videos with babies, some people might judge you, and you might even face backlash, just like this other dad who got criticized for controversially bathing his baby.