When Monica Emmerson sparked off the national media attention earlier this month at Reagan National Airport after TSA officials seized her child's sippy cup, it occurred to me that I could be that mom who "accidentally" spills the water and then is surrounded by seven security personnel.
Let's imagine the scene .... After a few hours of sleep, I've gotten myself and my son somehow packed meticulously into the car in the wee hours of the morning. We've got the car seat, the stroller, the pack'n'play, the big bag we're going to check, the diaper bag, my computer bag, and all of our liquids packaged carefully into one quart size clear bags. We've managed to get to the off airport parking, from the off airport parking to the airport, checked in our bag and we are heading through security. We've placed all of our items on the conveyer belt (as everyone who can carefully avoids getting behind us in line). We've got the car seat, the stroller, the diaper bag, my computer bag, my computer, our shoes (baby shoes too!), our jackets, the baby blanket and all of liquids strewn from one end to the other. I've carefully minded the 3.4 oz rule. (Being just a little neurotic, I've printed out and brought with me the posting from the TSA website.) And, then that last sip of water that is still left in the sippy cup clutched in my son's hand escapes my mind. It could be because its the only thing keeping him from having a complete meltdown and managing to stay semi-sweet before we board our endless hour flight.
That's when TSA catches me and I've been marked for the list of terrorists -- my weapon of choice? The ingenious sippy cup -- because you know, they will never look there for that secret potion I've mixed up and my son is chugging away at. When they go to seize the WMD, I've "accidentially" spilled its contents and now I'm on the national news.
The moral of this story? Moms of the world -- don't let them know you are human or you might end up with a video of yourself blasted on CNN. Just another way to be judged to see if you're a good mom.
Let's imagine the scene .... After a few hours of sleep, I've gotten myself and my son somehow packed meticulously into the car in the wee hours of the morning. We've got the car seat, the stroller, the pack'n'play, the big bag we're going to check, the diaper bag, my computer bag, and all of our liquids packaged carefully into one quart size clear bags. We've managed to get to the off airport parking, from the off airport parking to the airport, checked in our bag and we are heading through security. We've placed all of our items on the conveyer belt (as everyone who can carefully avoids getting behind us in line). We've got the car seat, the stroller, the diaper bag, my computer bag, my computer, our shoes (baby shoes too!), our jackets, the baby blanket and all of liquids strewn from one end to the other. I've carefully minded the 3.4 oz rule. (Being just a little neurotic, I've printed out and brought with me the posting from the TSA website.) And, then that last sip of water that is still left in the sippy cup clutched in my son's hand escapes my mind. It could be because its the only thing keeping him from having a complete meltdown and managing to stay semi-sweet before we board our endless hour flight.
That's when TSA catches me and I've been marked for the list of terrorists -- my weapon of choice? The ingenious sippy cup -- because you know, they will never look there for that secret potion I've mixed up and my son is chugging away at. When they go to seize the WMD, I've "accidentially" spilled its contents and now I'm on the national news.
The moral of this story? Moms of the world -- don't let them know you are human or you might end up with a video of yourself blasted on CNN. Just another way to be judged to see if you're a good mom.
