小孩子在公共場所發脾氣總是讓家長非常尷尬，美國有一對夫婦日前搭飛機時，就因為三歲大的女兒在飛機上不停哭鬧，最後一家三口都被趕下飛機。

三歲大的小艾莉看起來天真可愛，可是她一拗起來可是個小惡魔，14日艾莉與父母從佛州邁爾斯堡搭AirTran公司的班機要回波士頓，艾莉上飛機後又哭又鬧，不肯乖乖坐在座位上，任憑父母好說歹說還是哭鬧不休，結果一家三口就被航空公司請下飛機。

艾莉的父親說，「他們（空服員）告訴我們：因為你的女兒不乖，所以你們被趕下飛機了。我說，我們現在說的是這個三歲小女孩嗎？空姐走回來說：我們不管她是三歲還是三十三歲。」就這樣，一家三口待在機場等了24小時，才等到一班從邁爾斯堡直飛波士頓的班機回家。

消息傳出，民眾對航空公司的處理方式反應不一，一位居民說，「有時候小孩子哭就是你在機上要處理的狀況，絕對不應該被趕下機。」被問及是否願意坐在這一家子旁邊長途飛行，居民連忙說「不要，不要。」

航空公司認為當時空服員的處理方式並無不當，AirTran發言人葛拉漢威佛說，「該班機已經誤點了15分鐘，為了其他112名乘客的公平起見，機組員才決定請這家人下飛機。」為了補償小艾莉一家人，航空公司也免費讓他們換搭其他航班，還另外附贈三張來回機票，不過艾莉一家人並不領情，決定永遠不再光顧這家航空公司。

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Crying Child and Her Parents Removed From Flight
AirTran Ejected 3-Year-Old and Her Parents After Tantrum

Jan. 23, 2007 — Every parent has dealt with a child having a tantrum and causing embarrassment at the worst times — in a grocery store, in a restaurant, and at weddings.

For a Massachusetts mom and dad, however, their toddler's tantrum cost them their flight home. 

On Jan. 14, 3-year-old Elly Kulesza and her parents, Julie and Gerald, were kicked off an AirTran Airways flight from Florida to their Worcester, Mass., home because Elly would not stop crying.

Elly, who had been a model passenger on the flight to Florida four days earlier, began to cry uncontrollably once she got on the plane, throwing a temper tantrum on the floor.

AirTran employees demanded that the Kuleszas calm down their child. When Elly didn't stop crying, the crew banned the Kuleszas from flying for 24 hours. Later, AirTran offered an apology to the family along with a refund on their tickets.

"As we have an obligation to the 112 other passengers onboard the flight to operate the flight on time," AirTran said in a statement, "we had to make an operational decision to ask the Kulesza party to deplane so the flight could depart."

Passengers Sympathetic, Unlike Crew, Parents Say

On "Good Morning America," the Kuleszas insisted that their toddler wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.

"I don't know what happened. No one can tell when something like this is going to happen. She had a great morning, but then she got on the plane and she started to cry," Julie Kulesza said.

"She's like the typical 3-year-old. She has her moments, but overall she's a very, very good child."

The Kuleszas said that unlike the AirTran crew, the passengers on the flight were sympathetic to their situation.

"I jokingly turned around and asked the three gentlemen behind me, 'Aren't you glad you got these seats?" Julie said. "Another passenger offered up a lollipop to try and calm her down."

Despite AirTran's apology and offer of a complimentary flight, the Kuleszas don't plan to fly with the airline anytime soon.

"We'll pass on that," Gerald Kulesza said. "After that, I told them I'd never fly with them again." 

While not every toddler tantrum makes headlines, many parents want to know how they can cope with them. 

"Good Morning America" parenting contributor Anne Pleshette Murphy offered tips on how to calm a crying child.

Focus on Your Child
When in public, every parent's mantra should be this: "I don't know any of these people, and I'm never going to see them again." Just focus on your child, not on the other people around you who are giving you dirty looks. Your goal is to be your child's advocate, to be there for your child.

Don't Scream, Don't Threaten
Screaming at and threatening your child is a bad idea. Do the opposite. Your child is out of control, and the point is to try to help them physically collect themselves.

Hold the Child on Your Lap and Talk Softly
This strategy is very simple but can be very effective. Put the child on your lap, hold him or her tightly, and talk very softly. You should say you understand that they're upset and really sound as if you mean it. You can go on talking about almost anything, as long as you're speaking in a soft, soothing voice. If your child is really thrashing about, you're going to have to restrain him or her. Often, however, this technique of holding and talking softly will calm a child down in a few minutes.

Try to Distract Child
Another way to diffuse tantrums is to distract the child. Come armed with a toy they've never seen, a familiar object like a security blanket, or a candy to suck on. But frankly, when a child is out of control, this may not work. 

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我以前看到小孩哭鬧，
都會在心中暗罵其父母怎麼不管教小孩。
以前當空服員時，遇到小孩哭鬧，
也曾經受其他乘客的要求，
去勸說已經很尷尬父母能不能想辦法讓小孩安靜，
唉，但說真的，我當了媽媽之後，
才明白幼兒的哭鬧，真的不是父母能控制的！

花妮算是很乖的小寶寶，
不過在幾次帶花妮搭機的經驗中，
也曾發生過一次哭鬧不停的情形，
那是在去年四月和家族旅行飛日本時，
整個航程大概有三分之二時間都在哭鬧，
我跟爸比不論怎麼哄騙，也解決不了
使出她最愛的媽咪ㄋㄟㄋㄟ這個絕招都無法奏效，
哭得連後座的花妮外公外婆，
都想裝作不認識我們一家三口....

還有一次是從登機前在登機室開始吐，
(就是去關島一日遊那次)
而且在機上吐個不停，
直到到了當地的飯店門口才停止。
自己身上的衣服(包括另備的備用衣服)弄髒不說，
連人家飛機的椅墊也吐了好幾排，
因為嘔吐的不適，難免也會哭幾聲，
那天花妮真吐得很狼狽，
衣服拿去廁所簡單沖洗後，
全晾在空位上，大約晾了兩三排，
身上只有穿一件露背裝跟尿布，再裹著毛毯，
所幸空服員與座艙長都很能體諒也看在爸比的面子上，
對我們很熱心協助提供了濕紙巾並幫我們換位子，
而且一點為難臉色都沒擺出來，
還不時來關心花妮的情形，
當下我真的在心裡感激地不得了....
梅花航空的服務真的很棒很貼心！

以上的ABC News在官網還有作民調，
調查「是否認為無法管教小孩哭鬧的家庭應該被逐下機？」，
結果大多數人是投認同的意見.... Orz....
幼兒的情緒本來就不好掌握，
尤其遇到身體不舒服也很難忍耐、表達與控制，
只能說，沒當過父母的不會懂的....

Three-year old Elly Kulesza and her parents were recently removed from a flight because the toddler could not stop crying.

Do you think children who cry uncontrollably should be removed from airplanes?

Yes. They're loud and a nuisance to other passengers and the crew.

No. They're just being children, and it's unfair to kick them off.

Total Vote: 28,262