Recently, a self-described non-teacher who lives near a couple of schools posted a question on r/AskTeachers that hit a nerve. "Unsure if it's just the parents around me or if it's a common thing now," u/Mae_The_Gay wrote, "but are parents getting worse at parenting?" They described stepping in to tell kids to get out of the road, making anonymous tips to police about young children wandering alone, and feeling weird about doing any of it. The post asked teachers a simple question: Do you have to deal with parents who don't step in and do their job? Is it getting more common?

The thread got more than 200 comments. Here are some of the most eye-opening ones:

1. "I had this exact conversation with a mother last week: Me: 'Your son has been really tired and is falling behind. You should take away his Xbox until after finals or he will fail. I suggest just taking the power cord away to make it easy.' Mom: 'Oh, I can't do that. He'd be too upset with me. Can you offer him a makeup packet instead?'"

2. "A 16-year-old male student raised his voice at me because I told him to take his headphones out. When I emailed the parents, the dad wrote back, 'I am so sorry. He will be punished when he gets home. He is never to speak to a teacher like that, and especially not to a woman. We will definitely speak to him. I'm so sorry about this again.' When I tell you I almost fell off my chair. I couldn't believe how apologetic and supportive this dad was. My level of shock just shows you how rare this is."

—u/AngryGooseHappyLoon

Related: "53 Hilarious Photos Of Parents Who Are 100% Unhinged (And Then Some)"

3. "I have several kids with snowplow parents in my class. I had a parent email me to say how upset their son was that I read two books about women in one month, which happened to be Women's History Month. They were short books that took only one class period. Such a fragile snowflake that he can't bear to hear about the accomplishments of two women."

—u/Lumpy_Machine5538

4. "At the school where I spent the most time, we always called them snowplow parents. They carefully run ahead of their kid in life, clearing every obstacle. Failed test? Bad teacher. Rude in class? Didn't feel good that day. Skipped a review session to smoke weed? His grandma has been really sick. Kids end up incapable of dealing with the consequences of their own actions when they hit college. I have a close friend who is a professor at a local community college, and for the first time in her career, she has been getting emails from parents, mostly moms, making excuses for their college-aged child's behavior or academic performance. When does it stop? Are moms going to be emailing patients who get shitty medical care because their son, the doctor, had a headache from allergies?"

—u/HatCat5566

5. "I'm a community college instructor. I get the occasional email from parents. I shut that down immediately, saying I can't talk to them. FERPA. Have a nice day. My department chairs back me up 100%."

6. "Many American parents have stopped parenting. It's a huge rot at the center of American culture, and school is one of the places where the results of that rot start to show. The scary part is that while it sucks that we have kids who don't give a crap because their parents trained them not to give a crap, the real cost comes later, when they hit adulthood, and our whole society has to deal with them. Being lazy, rude, and entitled is annoying when you're 16. When you're 26, it's lethal."

—u/HatCat5566

7. "I have been teaching for over a decade, but I also think some parents have unrealistic expectations of teachers. We all have online grade books now that we update, and parents can see kids' progress, assignments and everything. The number of parents I have who tell me, 'Oh, just call me if he's missing anything!' I'm not going to do that. I have 100 students. It's on you to talk to your kid and look at the grade book. Don't expect the teacher to call or email you about every missing minor task. Some parents are great, but others will write me all the time and just say, 'I want my kid to do well.' Well, your kid doesn't try, is missing many assignments and turns in work that is half-done. You can't want it more than they do."

—u/capybaramelhor

8. "We literally had to expel a kid because her mom decided to use the kid's backpack for a weekend trip and accidentally left a gun in it that went off at our metal detectors. Her kid was actually pretty smart — average, but she actually cared, which is the best we get. And Mom just ruined the rest of her childhood because they'll literally have to move to another city to find a school outside our district that will take her. The parents are so bad that they ruin opportunities for their kid before the kid even has one."

Related: "21 Moms And Dads Who Think They're The Main Character Of The Whole Damn World"

9. "Parents are significantly more difficult than they were before the pandemic, and the parents of 2018 were more difficult than the parents from 15 to 20 years before that. I see it in so many aspects of how we interact with them, even in things as simple as morning drop-off. What used to be a patient, community-oriented process, where everyone tried to support everyone else getting safely into the building, has now become an unpredictable free-for-all of parents doing what they please and expecting others to wait for them. It's a microcosm of what dealing with parents has become in every situation."

—u/Alternative_Roll_925

10. "Note to self from younger me: Admin do NOT like it when you tell parents they should stop sucking at parenting. I quickly learned to nod and smile and let them ruin their child because there's nothing I can do to stop it, and if I try to intervene, it will affect my career."

—u/HatCat5566

11. "I just saw an article a few weeks ago about a school board in Florida that is dealing with parents sending kids to school who aren't even potty-trained yet. I can obviously understand some students who have disabilities, etc., but it sounds like a majority of the incoming class had not been potty-trained. I honestly thought it was a requirement for your child to be potty-trained before attending school. Teachers don't have time to change diapers. I remember wanting to go to school so badly, as my big brothers did, but my mom said I couldn't until I wore big-girl undies and kept them dry. I was potty-trained in two days because I wanted to go to school so badly."

12. "I used to be a substitute teacher. But as a mom, I see so many parents not parenting that it makes me ill. Bratty behaviors, 6-year-olds with pacifiers, kids not throwing away trash when they can, etc."

—u/Shoddy-Coffee-6155

Related: "37 Parents Who Really, Really Should Not Be Allowed To Post Online"

13. "In California, we now have universal transitional kindergarten. At the start of the school year, there are some 3-year-olds on our public school campus. Can you imagine?! I have been in conversations with several parents who sheepishly joke about how their kids still sh— their pants and they're sending them to public school — like, 'Oh! Oopsies!' as if it's cute. I don't get it. It's disgusting and lazy."

—u/dont_be_all_uncool__

14. "We have kindergarteners and first graders who get sent in pull-ups, sometimes already soiled by the time they get to school. No one changes these kids during the day, so they sit in them all day. The parents somehow think they're sneaky. They end up being reported to CPS."

—u/Lumpy_Machine5538

15. "I wrote an IEP yesterday for a soon-to-be fourth-grader who needs to learn the alphabet. I also have a soon-to-be fifth-grader who is still learning phonemic awareness. Put down the bong and READ TO YOUR KIDS."

16. "I wish someone would go knock on one of my students' doors. Her attendance is abysmal. Her mom kept her home the other day because 'she was too hot the last two days at school.' The days in question were 70 degrees and 57 degrees. I think it's because Mom doesn't work and doesn't want to get out of bed to get her kid going."

—u/Lumpy_Machine5538

17. "Teachers are not waiting for parents to figure it out; WE ARE LITERALLY RAISING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THEM. We're tired."

—u/Objective-Manager866

18. "In my experience, the rot has touched every sector of American society. It's not solely economic. There are upper-middle-class and rich parents who have just totally thrown in the towel on raising decent people. It seems to me that even the parents who 'care' are prioritizing the child's immediate emotional impulses over their long-term emotional growth. I think sometimes it's laziness, and sometimes it's that they've bought a version of permissive parenting from the internet."

—u/Pangtudou

However, some teachers pushed back on the premise:

Related: "20 Foreign Parenting Practices That Might Shock American Parents"

19. "One of the reasons parenting sucks so much is that the expectations have vastly increased. No one was watching their kids outside while they played in previous generations. Now, people immediately jump to judging the parents. It wasn't solely the responsibility of individual parents to watch their children every second of the day. Neighbors and other parents would correct children who were doing something wrong, and that was seen as normal. Calling the police? Pathologizing children for being outside and playing? That's what's f—ing wrong with society today."

20. "My hot take is that parenting isn't getting worse; keeping one's head above water is getting harder. I genuinely believe most parents want to raise decent people. I also believe that when a parent is working two or three jobs, working nights or the swing shift, or hustling for Uber and DoorDash, it's exhausting and saps parents' resources, making it hard for them to be fully present in their kids' lives. I also think this is by design and intended to distract people from the real reason they don't have the life they want: the unrelenting greed of the Epstein class."

—u/HMouse65

21. "It's not 'gentle parenting.' Gentle parenting is actually a form of authoritative parenting. The issue is that we have a ton of parents practicing permissive parenting, and everyone assumes that is gentle parenting."

—u/OrcaAteMyYarn

22. "Let's paint a picture of what life was like only 30 years ago. My dad worked multiple jobs, and my mom stayed home. Most of my friends in a middle-class suburban town had similar situations. Moms who wanted to work did so, but many or most worked part-time or were full-time caretakers. I remember how exhausting my friends and I were, even with her at home. When I think about today, the emotional toll of raising children while also giving it your all in a career is pretty daunting. I think, as teachers, as much as we complain about our jobs, we forget that we have every holiday, every weekend, all vacations and summers off, during which we are able to flip the script and dedicate ourselves more fully to parenting. Others don't have that luxury."

"Are there bad parents out there? Definitely. There were bad parents when I was a kid. But I think it's more about the societal burden placed on adults to maintain a certain lifestyle while also parenting children, focusing on a career, maintaining a home, and nurturing a relationship.

It's not easy being 25 to 45 today. I wouldn't say it's harder. There was probably more 'sacrifice' or 'going without' in generations past, but I empathize with today's parents."

—u/Synchwave1

23. "They're either nonexistent, or they're too involved in their kids' business. I have students who barely show up to school and are obviously high when they do show up, and their parents don't care. On the other hand, I had a parent send me and my boss multiple-paragraph emails trying to get me to change her daughter's grade. The grade was a B+, and the final grade is an A-, but apparently, the only acceptable grade is an A."

Were you a teacher reading this and shaking your head? Were you a parent reading this and shaking your head? Tell us in the comments or in the anonymous form below, and you could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.

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Family estrangement is more discussed than ever. In the first large-scale national survey on the subject, Cornell sociologist Karl Pillemer found that 27 percent of Americans who are 18 years of age and older had cut off contact with a family member, a figure he reported in the Cornell Chronicle. That translates to roughly 68 million people, according to Cornell University, and Pillemer has called it a problem hiding in plain sight. A 2024 Harris Poll reported by Knowable Magazine put the figure higher still: 35 percent of the more than 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed said they were estranged from an immediate family member such as a parent or a sibling. 

Family therapist Melanie Hall sees these dynamics up close. Her insights reveal why adult children walk away, why so many parents are blindsided, and where the path back to each other actually starts.

About our expert: Melanie Hall is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, relationship coach, and author who owns Insights Therapeutic Services, where she helps couples, families, and individuals communicate better and heal.

Is family estrangement increasing in 2026, or are people just talking about it more?

People are talking about estrangement and making the decision to walk away from toxic situations in a way they weren't willing to do just a few short decades ago. "Twenty or thirty years ago, a lot of families kept this stuff behind closed doors. People suffered in silence and stayed connected out of obligation. Today, people are more willing to say, 'This relationship is hurting me,'" Hall said. 

She shared that more people are knowledgeable about mental health, trauma, and boundaries, and Hall observed that this awareness cuts both ways. "Awareness can lead to healing, but it can also lead to people cutting ties before they've learned how to work through conflict," she explained.

That tension echoes what researchers have documented. Clinical psychologist Joshua Coleman, author of Rules of Estrangement, has tied today's rifts to rising individualism, a cultural emphasis on happiness, and growing economic insecurity. A number of therapists and researchers have come to describe estrangement as a "silent epidemic."

The most common reasons adult children cut off their parents

So what leads someone to go no-contact with a parent? "Most of the time, it isn't one big event. It's years of pain from feeling unheard, dismissed, criticized, controlled, or emotionally unsafe," Hall shared.

In her practice, the same phrases surface again and again. She recalled adult children telling her, "Every conversation turns into judgment," or "My parent only knows how to tell me what I'm doing wrong." Sometimes the cause runs deeper, into unresolved childhood wounds, addiction, abuse, favoritism, or repeated boundary violations. Sometimes, she added, it's simply years of poor communication that nobody ever addressed.

What she almost never hears is a sudden change of heart. "I woke up one day and decided I didn't want my parents in my life," is the kind of line that, by her account, rarely comes up.

Why going no-contact blindsides parents who felt they did their best

"Doing your best and meeting your child's emotional needs are not always the same thing," Hall said. Plenty of parents sacrificed, worked long hours, and provided everything they could. They may genuinely believe that was the best way to express their love, yet their grown child may be telling a different story. 

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As Hall put it, the adult child is often saying, "I know you provided for me, but I didn't feel seen, heard, protected, or understood." She acknowledged how genuinely hard the job is: "Parenting doesn't come with a manual, and every day you're trying to get it right."

She said the heartbreak is that two people can share the same house and live completely different experiences inside it. "A lot of parents are shocked because they were measuring success by what they gave. Their child is measuring the relationship by how it felt," she said.

How different generations clash over family loyalty and boundaries

A big piece of the puzzle is generational, and Hall sees it play out constantly. She observed that older generations tend to hold tight to a single idea: "Family is family, no matter what. You stay connected, you figure it out, and you don't talk about family business outside the house."

Younger generations are asking a different set of questions. "Is this relationship healthy? Does this relationship bring peace or constant pain?" Hall said, describing the lens many adult children now use. They treat boundaries as a normal feature of a relationship rather than a betrayal of it.

Neither worldview is wholly right or wrong, she stressed. The friction shows up when one generation prizes loyalty above everything and the other prizes emotional well-being above everything. That mismatch sits underneath a striking number of family ruptures, a dynamic Coleman has also described as a paradox in which adult children increasingly view parents as friends rather than as obligations.

Healthy boundary or estrangement? How to tell the difference

One of the most useful distinctions Hall draws is between a boundary and a cutoff, because families confuse them all the time. A boundary, she explained, says, "I want a relationship, but I need it to look different." Estrangement says something far heavier: "Right now, I can't have this relationship at all."

A healthy boundary might look like fewer phone calls, certain topics left off the table, or limited access to parts of your life. Estrangement is a closed door, and Hall described it as what often happens after every attempt to feel safe has failed. The trouble, she cautioned, is that some families hear a boundary and react as though the door has already slammed shut, when it's actually an invitation to get curious about each other.

What estranged parents misunderstand about why their child left

Hall has noticed a recurring blind spot. Parents tend to trace the estrangement to a single moment: one argument, one disagreement, or one tense holiday. However, she said their adult children are usually carrying years of hurtful experiences that may not have directly addressed.

She summed up the gap in one of her most memorable observations. "The parent remembers the final straw. The child remembers the entire pile," she said. From the parent's vantage point, the rupture came from nowhere. From the child's point-of-view, it had been building for a very long time.

What adult children get wrong about their parents' side

The therapist is careful to hold both sides. She shared that adult children sometimes underestimate how much their parents were raising them while wounded themselves, and they may fail to see how unprepared their parents were for the job.

That context is not the same as an excuse, according to Hall. "That doesn't excuse harmful behavior. Accountability still matters," she said. Still, many parents were working with tools they were never handed. Hall recounted hearing parents say, "Nobody asked me how I felt growing up. Nobody taught me communication. Nobody taught me emotional regulation." Their point, she explained, wasn't to normalize the harm. It was closer to, "I survived." In Hall's experience, healing often begins when people can finally separate intention from impact.

Why family arguments are really about deeper emotional wounds

Communication is usually where the conflict becomes visible, but it's rarely the whole story. Families fight about phone calls, holidays, money, politics, or who someone married. Hall suggested that there are bigger questions underneath the surface ones.

She listed them plainly: "Do you respect me?" "Do you see me?" "Do I matter to you?" "Can I trust you with my feelings?" Most family conflict isn't really about the topic at hand; it's about the meaning attached to it.

How to reconnect with an estranged adult child, according to a therapist

For a parent aching to rebuild the relationship, Hall said, "The first move is curiosity, not defense." Rather than leading with "I don't know why you're doing this to me," she encouraged a different opening: "Help me understand what I've missed."

She cautioned that what backfires is guilt, pressure, and pulling other relatives in to force a reunion. Nothing drives people further away than feeling their pain is being argued with. The parents who make real progress tend to be the ones willing to listen without instantly explaining, correcting, or defending. That restraint is hard, she conceded, but it's part of the work. Coleman's research points the same direction, identifying defensiveness and guilt-driven appeals among the most common mistakes estranged parents make.

When going no-contact is healthier than reconciliation

"Reconciliation isn't always possible. It just isn't," she said. Some relationships involve ongoing abuse, manipulation, addiction, violence, or violations that simply never change.

In those cases, distance can be the healthiest option on the table. What she hopes for instead is healing, which doesn't always mean reunion. "Sometimes healing means accepting limits and creating peace from a distance," she explained, and those aren't always the same thing. It's worth noting that researchers have linked unresolved rifts to chronic stress and real emotional toll, which is part of why Psychology Today and others treat these decisions with such care rather than as casual choices.

How to have hard family conversations without blame

When families are ready to talk, Hall recommends trading accusations for experiences. There's a world of difference, she pointed out, between "You never cared about me" and "When that happened, I felt alone." The first usually starts a fight, while the second usually starts a conversation.

She explained that the goal isn't to prove who's right. It's to understand how two people can walk away from the very same event holding completely different stories about what happened.

What to do when a parent relationship feels beyond repair

For anyone convinced the relationship is broken for good, Hall has a final word of caution. "I'd tell them not to confuse being hurt with being hopeless," she said. Some relationships can be repaired and some can't, and she said that you don't always know which category you're in while you're standing in it.

When it comes to healing, sometimes the breakthrough happens through a conversation a family avoided for twenty years. Sometimes it's the whole acceptance of what a relationship can realistically be. Either way, Hall offered the same hopeful reframe she gives her clients: "Most families aren't struggling from a lack of love. They're struggling from years of unmet needs, unspoken hurt, and conversations that never happened. That's where the work usually begins."

Thanks for reading. I invite you to follow me on Yahoo for more health and wellness stories.

More about our expert: Melanie Hall is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), relationship coach, author, and creator who owns Insights Therapeutic Services, where a team of clinicians supports clients with personalized, actionable care. Drawing on a background in both mental health and corporate settings, she coaches couples through communication challenges, helps entrepreneurs shift from an employee to an employer mindset, and guides teams toward healthier workplaces. She is the author of Change Your Words to Change Your World and the creator of We Didn't Have That Conversation, a deck of communication cards designed to help couples tackle the tough, often overlooked topics that can make or break a relationship.  

Please Note: This article is meant to inform and encourage, not to replace professional care. Every family is different, and nothing here is a substitute for personalized advice from a licensed therapist, counselor, or medical provider. If you're navigating estrangement, abuse, or a mental health crisis, please reach out to a qualified professional who can support your specific situation. You don't have to figure it out alone.

NEED TO KNOW

• Malcom-Jamal Warner's widow, Tenisha Warner, filed a lawsuit against the late actor's family over alleged unpaid debts

• Tenisha alleges she is owed $1.2 million over a life insurance policy and additional alleged debts, and she's seeking the money from the Warner Family Trust

• Malcolm died at age 54 in an accidental drowning while on a vacation in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025

Malcolm- Jamal Warner's widow, Tenisha Warner, has taken legal action against his mother, Pamela Warner, over alleged unpaid debts from his family trust.

In a lawsuit filed in DeKalb County Superior Court in Georgia, obtained by The Atlanta Journal Constitution and TMZ, Tenisha alleges she and the late actor signed a premarital agreement in May 2022 and claims he agreed to a $1 million life insurance policy with her as sole beneficiary, though he allegedly failed to secure the policy.

Tenisha filed the lawsuit in DeKalb County, Georgia on the first anniversary of his death on Monday, July 20, per the AJC.

In court documents filed in Los Angeles County Court on July 17, obtained by PEOPLE, Tenisha claimed she is owed $1,276,042.46, comprising of $1 million in life-insurance obligations, $50,542.46 for an anniversary payment obligation laid out in their agreement, $30,500 with respect to a Roth IRA obligation and $195,000 with respect to a salary obligation, as she worked as her late husband's "chief of staff."

Pamela serves as trustee of the Warner Family Trust, which the actor set up in 1996, and Tenisha reportedly requests that the alleged debt is covered by the trust since she doesn't believe Malcolm's estate "will be inadequate to satisfy" the costs, per the AJC.

Tenisha is also seeking interest, attorney's fees and an order preventing Pamela from distributing anything from the trust during the case, according to the outlet.

PEOPLE has reached out to attorneys for Pamela and Tenisha.

Malcolm, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992, died in an accidental drowning while on a family vacation in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025. He was 54.

Pamela appeared on Good Morning America in September 2025 to discuss how the family adjusted in the months since his death, telling Robin Roberts she was "at peace with everything that happened."

On Monday, she shared a tribute to her son on the first anniversary of his death via his living legacy Instagram page, calling it "amazing how a year of pain, hurt, loss, emotional destabilizaton, and most importantly growth, has come and sits here before me."

"During my year long journey, I have discovered how cruel, evil and greedy a human can be. I have also discovered the depth of love, care, concern and support that humans are capable of. All of which I have been the recipient of. The good, the bad and the ugly. These are the lessons that apparently I will need as I continue my journey," Pamela wrote, in part.

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She later concluded, "Please take care of yourselves and those who you love. Let them know that they are loved. Clear up any beef you may have with your loved ones, if possible. Cleanse your spirt of negativity. We all have an expiration date. Don't leave or let your loved one leave without them knowing that they are loved and treasured. That knowledge and 'clean plate' has helped me to survive."

Malcolm and Tenisha shared one daughter, who was 8 years old at the time of his death. In September, Tenisha shared a photo from their wedding and thanked her followers for "holding us in so much love during this tender time." At the time, she launched the Warner Family Foundation and River & Ember, alongside their daughter.

The Warner Family Foundation will provide scholarships for young students seeking to pursue a higher education in the arts, while River & Ember is an organization that offers seasonal toolkits with art and other exercises for parents and children.

"Tomorrow marks our anniversary—and my heart is wide open. For the first time, I'm sharing a glimpse of the love that began it all," she wrote at the time. "I can still hear my husband's laugh, still feel the way he made room for every part of me—every tear, every dream. Together we carry the legacy my husband and I began —one that nurtures children's inner light and gives young artists the freedom to create outside the lines. This is love, still moving. Still making. Still carrying us forward."

Gayle King's sitdown interview with Tenisha is set to air on CBS Mornings this Thursday, July 23.

Read the original article on People

A woman recently spent an entire flight tending to the needs of a small child. While this wouldn't be unusual if she were their parent or relative, she says she didn't know the kid, and his dad was relaxing elsewhere on the plane. A video about the situation has received hundreds of thousands of views.

Kelli Klement, who posts to TikTok under @kelliklement, said she took her place in the window seat and "another girl was in the aisle seat." A father walked up with his son, who looked to be 3 ½ or 4 years old.

The child was confused

According to Klement, the father pointed to the empty middle seat and told his son, "Here's your seat." At this point, Klement says the little boy looked up at his dad in confusion. His father indicated that it would be fine and walked away.

Klement was stunned. She'd assumed the father was going to ask her to switch seats with him so he could sit with his child. She was also surprised he didn't speak to the flight attendant to see if they could be seated together.

After the father walked away, the little boy started crying and asked, "Why can't I sit with my dad?"

Klement assumed childcare duties

Klement said she helped the child with his seatbelt. The father hadn't provided the son with anything to occupy him during the flight, so she gave him a piece of paper and a pencil.

At no point did the father come back to check on his son or make sure everything was okay, which she thought was "so weird."

When the drink cart rolled around, Klement decided to order the child a beverage, but she was hesitant because she didn't know whether he had any allergies. She asked the flight attendant to check with his father to see what refreshments the child was allowed to have.

The child ordered a chocolate snack, which naturally got smeared across his mouth and hands. Klement cleaned him up with a wipe.

The father didn't acknowledge her help

At the end of the flight, Klement chose to wait with the child until his father made his way down the aisle. When he arrived, Klement and the child said goodbye. Shockingly, the father himself said nothing. Klement had expected a thank you.

Viewers had thoughts. Most comments praised Klement for helping a young boy in what must have been confusing circumstances. Others took the father to task.

"As a flight attendant, you'd be surprised at how many dads are checked out once they get to the plane. It's so infuriating."

"The dad assuming that even random women will take care of his child so he doesnt have to."

"The dad didn't even buckle him??"

It's a common scenario

Unfortunately, Klement isn't the only traveler who says her seat assignment included unpaid babysitting duties. Recently, a man on a Delta flight posted on Reddit, saying that a mom asked him to switch seats so she could sit next to her son. The traveler had paid extra for the aisle seat since he was a larger man. The mom was seated in a middle seat, so he declined to make the switch.

When the traveler refused to give up the seat he'd bought and paid for, the mom gave him a list of duties. He spent his entire flight helping the child use in-flight entertainment, ordering his drinks and snacks, and basically serving as an in-flight nanny.

Why do airlines seat families separately?

According to the Department of Transportation's Airline Family Seating Dashboard, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and JetBlue have committed to "fee-free family seating," allowing families traveling with young children to sit together without incurring additional expenses. In some cases, this might require a call to a customer service agent.

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If families purchase basic economy tickets that don't allow advance seat selection, they should notify the airline. Most will do their best to make sure that small children are seated with at least one parent.

As a last resort, it's perfectly okay to ask another passenger to switch seats with you in a bind, as long as you understand they aren't obligated to say yes.

Joseph Duggar's ongoing legal battle might further heighten tension with his in-laws, the Caldwells.

The "19 Kids and Counting" star was arrested in March on allegations of molesting a minor during a family vacation, leading to serious charges.

Although Joseph has since denied the accusations, pleading not guilty, his in-laws are being called upon to tell their side of the story.

Kendra's Parents Will Be Involved In Joseph Duggar's Case

In the latest update, Kendra Duggar's parents, Paul and Christina Caldwell, are scheduled for a deposition in Florida.

New court documents reveal the Caldwells were invited to the Florida State attorney office to be questioned by Joseph's attorney, and their response is subject to use "at trial, and/or for such other purposes as are allowed by law."

It comes as no surprise that Paul and Christina are being called upon, given their close relationship with Joseph's victim. According to Us Weekly, Kendra's parents have been open with church members about the minor being close to their family.

"Christina has told other members of their church, but she is not sure she wants to talk about it so publicly. That is what she is struggling with, but she is not hiding it," the source explained.

Kendra Cuts Ties With Parents, Aligns With Duggar Family

This comes amid reports that Kendra, who was also arrested on separate charges, isn't getting along well with her parents amid the scandal.

Family loyalty is being questioned as The Blast reported that the reality star has seemingly gone no contact with her family. "Kendra is not communicating with her family. The Caldwells have left the home they were living in, and all of their belongings are in storage," the insider noted.

The estrangement has been difficult on Paul and Christina, who have had to leave the home they were living in while dealing with financial troubles.

Inside The Caldwells' Housing Trouble

Kendra's parents found their living situation disrupted months after Joseph's arrest. According to reports, the Caldwells were forced out of their home due to growing tensions with their in-Laws, the Duggars.

As a result, a GoFundMe was set up to solicit funds from the public, with Paul addressing misunderstandings about their stance on Joseph's alleged crimes.

Per The Blast, the patriarch shared a statement online that read, "We are willing to stand for the protection of the weak and vulnerable in society. Because of that stand, we have been put in a situation that has [caused] the [loss] of our current housing situation and employment."

Retaliation Allegations Plague The Duggar Family

Although Paul Caldwell didn't directly point fingers at his estranged in-laws, Christian influencer Amy Paul shed light on the truth behind the scenes.

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Taking to social media, Paul alleged that Joseph was reported to the authorities by his in-laws, causing quite the strain with the Duggars.

She further claimed the TLC reality family retaliated against the Caldwells, refusing to offer any form of support when water and electricity were cut off in their home before their eventual eviction.

According to The Blast, the social media personality then called out the Duggars, declaring she was "appalled at the lack of Christian charity that is being shown to this precious family [the Caldwells]."

Paul defended their decision to turn Joseph in, saying that it wouldn't have happened if he had done the right thing.

Amy Duggar Sides With Joseph's Victim As A Safe Space

The Caldwells aren't the only involved parties siding with the molested minor over the Duggar family. Joseph's cousin, Amy Duggar, recently spoke out about reaching out to the victim.

As reported by The Blast, Amy explained during a podcast appearance that she only reached out to offer her comfort and strength during this difficult time.

She noted that she assured the victim that she would always be a "safe place," encouraging her to not let the trauma define her life.

Amy then turned her attention to her cousin, sharing her thoughts on his not guilty plea to charges of lewd and lascivious child molestation of a victim under 12 and misconduct by an adult.

"I think [Joseph's] had some counsel and I think the counsel is not good," she shared.

The Joseph Duggar's In-Laws Roped Into Molestation Case In New Twist first appeared on The Blast