In a recent incident that sparked a big debate online, Shayla Monnier, a nurse who now creates content on TikTok, along with her husband Andrew, got caught up in a mid-flight problem involving a young child.

Shayla shared her story on TikTok on June 17, 2024. She described how during their flight from Atlanta to Denver, a child sitting in front of them began misbehaving about an hour before landing. The child turned around and spat on Shayla’s face and Andrew’s arm, despite efforts by the child’s parents to stop her.

Shayla tried to block the spit with her hand, but the child continued to spit. She was surprised that the child’s parents, though wearing masks, couldn’t control her. Shayla’s videos drew mixed responses: some suggested gentle parenting ideas, while others agreed with her frustration.

In a follow-up video on June 18, 2024, Shayla emphasized how the child’s behavior was out of control, making it clear that she wouldn’t tolerate being spat on, no matter the child’s age or circumstances.

In simpler and more engaging words:

“There was no reasoning with her. She was pushing to climb over the seat, and as soon as she managed it, she started spitting. I’m not going to negotiate with a child who’s spitting in my face,” she declared firmly.

Monnier, a mom and grandma, couldn’t believe anyone would tolerate such behavior without taking firm action. “At first, I thought, ‘Are people really into gentle parenting these days?’ Not if they’re spitting at me. My own kids would never do that,” she said.

She considered whether the child might have special needs, which could explain the behavior. Monnier understood that sometimes a child’s needs aren’t obvious and suggested parents should have a clear plan in such situations.

Options could include sitting in the back row to minimize contact with others, using a car seat to restrain the child, or consulting a doctor about medication to help the child sleep during flights. Regardless, she stressed that allowing a child to spit on others is never acceptable.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but allowing them to spit on someone isn’t the solution. That’s never okay,” Monnier added firmly.

The situation escalated when Andrew confronted the parents after the child’s third spitting incident. Monnier recalled, “After the third time, my husband firmly said to them, ‘If you can’t control your kid, I’ll have to. Why isn’t she wearing a mask like you two?'”

The mother got defensive, suggesting they didn’t understand the challenges of parenting. Andrew responded, “We’ve raised five kids and have six grandkids, and none would do that.”

The commotion caught the attention of a flight attendant who quickly stepped in. She instructed the parents to put a mask on the child.

“The flight attendant heard the commotion and immediately intervened, saying, ‘Absolutely not.’ She got a mask for the child and said firmly, ‘You can’t do that. Put a mask on her,'” Monnier recalled. The flight attendant’s swift action calmed things down temporarily.

Despite the intervention, Monnier and Andrew were left frustrated. The flight attendant later compensated them with flight credits and the passenger in the window seat for the inconvenience they experienced.

Reflecting on the incident, Monnier noted that the child had slept peacefully for most of the flight and only acted out after waking up. She observed the father struggling to manage the child when they first boarded.

“When we boarded, the child was awake, and I heard the dad trying to reason with her. I thought, ‘He’s got no control over her.’ She slept through the flight until an hour left. Then she started spitting. She wasn’t just bored,” Monnier explained.

She also considered whether the child might have been medicated.

“Right after the spitting, she fell back asleep. So maybe the parents had given her something. But no matter what, it’s never okay to spit on people. I won’t sit there and let someone spit on me,” Monnier concluded emphatically.