We all know it, that look on the plane, on the train or in the restaurant that makes the little voice in our head go: " I'm bothering everyone with my child ".
In episode 2 of the podcast La Maison des Parents , Jen, a single mother and travel planner, reminds us of something essential: our children also have the right to exist in public places.
And we, as parents, have the right to travel with them, without apologizing with every breath .
Before a first flight or a first long journey, questions abound: " What if my baby cries the whole time? What if everyone judges me? What if I can't handle it?" »
Jen recounts her first plane trip with her 7/8 month old son to return to see her family in France.
She had the same fears as all mothers, and yet everything turned out fine. The real difficulty often comes from the surrounding stress: safety, luggage, schedules, other people's stares. Even when things don't go so smoothly, a baby's crying doesn't make us " bad parents ," it simply makes us parents.
Jen has also experienced direct judgment, for example on a train where her baby was teething. A passenger openly judged her, as if she were a bad mother. The reality is that a crying baby is normal.
An adult who can't tolerate that might be the one who needs to work on their own issues. We don't need an extra layer of guilt. Public transportation is public transportation. It's not reserved for a quiet, rested adult clientele. Parents have the right to take a plane, a train, or go to a restaurant with a baby. Traveling with a child teaches them that the world is vast, that they have a place everywhere, and that they are part of community life.
What if, instead of apologizing, we supported each other more as parents? A compassionate look, a spare diaper, a " do you want me to help you with your stroller? " makes all the difference.
🫂 Most parents understand what you're going through because they've been through it themselves or know their turn will come. Traveling with a baby without apologizing is a true act of freedom. You're not there to provide a perfect ride for strangers; you're there to create memories with your child.
As Jen says: if you want to do it, do it.
And if you want to lighten the logistics, Bébé Solutions is there to rent strollers , wagons , baby carriers and car seats for families on the move in Quebec.
🎧 To go further
This article is inspired by an episode of the podcast La Maison des Parents . To delve deeper into the topic and hear advice from Jen, a single mom, access the full episode .