Families with small children are usually among the first to board a plane, the logic being that it allows time to install any necessary kiddie seats, place strollers or other kid-centric luggage in the overhead bin, and get settled before takeoff. However, one mom and former airline worker argues that doing things the opposite way would allow for smoother travel for all. Laura, an ex-British flight attendant currently living in Florida and raising a family, recently shared on TikTok, “Okay don’t come for me but I think families with babies should board LAST.” @laurainsouthflorida Okay don’t come for me but I think families with babies should board LAST. I know. I KNOW. And yes I used to be a flight attendant. I have seen things. I have opinions. This is one of them. Every time we pre-board Oliver we spend an extra 25 minutes strapped into seats going absolutely nowhere while every other human slowly files past us making faces at him like he’s a zoo exhibit. He’s fine for the first 10 minutes. Then he’s done. DONE. And we still haven’t even pushed back from the gate. I spent years watching families board first and slowly unravel before we even closed the door. Board last. Sit down. Take off immediately. Baby never knows the difference. Trust the ex-flight attendant on this one. The pre-board privilege is a trap. I handed it out for years and I’m only now admitting that. You’re welcome. Or I’m sorry. Depending on how strongly you feel about this. #flyingwithababy #travelingwithababy #babytravel #exflightattendant #flightattendantlife ♬ original sound – laurainsouthflorida First recalling her own experience as a traveler, Laura noted that every time she brought her young son, Oliver, they would pre-board, as many parents do. However, getting on the plane early just meant that Oliver had an extra hour of being cooped up.  “We’d spend an extra 25 minutes strapped into seats going absolutely nowhere while every other human slowly files past us making faces at him like he’s a zoo exhibit,” she wrote in the caption. Naturally, Oliver would become restless Two kids looking out an airplane window while mom watches. Photo credit: Canva “He’s fine for the first 10 minutes. Then he’s done. DONE. And we still haven’t even pushed back from the gate,” she wrote.  Laura then drew upon her professional experience of witnessing other families going through similar struggles: “I spent years watching families board first and slowly unravel before we even closed the door.” Both of these factors left her with only one conclusion: “Board last. Sit down. Take off immediately. Baby never knows the difference.” “Trust the ex‑flight attendant on this one,” she concluded. “The pre‑board privilege is a trap. I handed it out for years and I’m only now admitting that. You’re welcome. Or I’m sorry. Depending on how strongly you feel about this.” Of course, reactions to this stance were mixed Some commenters agreed that it would be less anxiety-inducing for parents concerned with “holding people up,” while others worried about keeping families seated together or potentially losing storage space if they boarded last. And then came the inevitable question: Why not seat the back row first?  Online, you’ll find a slew of explanations, from “it makes the plane tail-heavy” to “back-to-front boarding is actually slower.” However, Japanese airlines like Japan Airlines (JAL) commonly use a back-to-front boarding process, often starting with rear seats, window seats, or specific boarding groups. This method is sometimes combined with window-to-aisle boarding in the name of efficiency. So while we may never come upon a universally beneficial boarding order, there are at least a few things parents can do to make the process easier.  For example, if both parents are traveling together, they can adopt a “divide and conquer” approach, with one parent boarding early to manage bags and seats while the other lets the kids walk around, expend any extra energy they might have, and minimize sitting time. Bringing a “surprise bag” of snacks and small, new toys reserved only for plane rides can also offer some soothing distractions. A father entertaining his son on a flight with animal puppets. Photo credit: Canva And as any parent will tell you, often no matter what strategy you try to implement, sometimes you still gotta adapt to what’s needed in the moment. The post Former flight attendant says families should board last. Does she have a point? appeared first on Upworthy.