“Entitled Parents Told Me Not to Eat on the Plane — I Didn’t Listen”
As someone with Type 1 diabetes, managing my blood sugar isn’t optional — it’s survival. I’ve lived with this condition since I was twelve, and I’ve learned to stay prepared, especially when traveling. That means keeping snacks within reach at all times.
On a recent flight from Chicago to Seattle, I was seated next to a family of three — a mom, dad, and their young son. Before we even took off, the boy was whining and kicking the seat in front of him. He had a shiny new iPad, noise-canceling headphones, and more snacks than I’d packed myself.
About thirty minutes into the flight, I started feeling that all-too-familiar warning: shaky hands, dizziness, and a racing heart. My blood sugar was dropping fast. I reached for my protein bar — something I’ve done a thousand times before.
That’s when the mother leaned over and whispered, “Can you not? Our son has sensitivities.”
She wasn’t joking. Apparently, the sound of a food wrapper or chewing could “set him off.”
Caught off guard, I hesitated and put the bar away, trying to be considerate. Big mistake. Forty minutes later, I could feel myself crashing. My vision blurred, my hands trembled, and I knew I was in trouble.
I flagged down the flight attendant and asked for a Coke and a snack box — only for the father to cut in, saying, “No food for this row. Our son gets upset when people eat near him.”
That was it. I looked up and said, calmly but firmly, “I have Type 1 diabetes. If I don’t eat now, I could pass out. So yes, I will be eating.”
The nearby passengers turned to listen. The parents looked embarrassed — but the mom still muttered, “He has needs too. It’s called empathy.”
I looked at their son — happily munching on Skittles, eyes glued to his screen — and said, “He seems fine. And your empathy shouldn’t come at the cost of my health.”
The flight attendant handed me my Coke and snack, and I ate in silence. The rest of the flight was peaceful. No tantrums. No chaos. Just quiet.
That day reminded me of something important: standing your ground isn’t rude or selfish when your health is on the line. Because no one’s comfort should ever outweigh someone else’s survival.