Antsy toddler kicked off Alaska Airlines plane

 Alaska Airlines said it was a matter of safety, but the boy's dad said it was an overreaction. (AP Photo/File)

listen Listen: Antsy toddler kicked off Alaska Airlines plane

A cranky 3-year-old was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight out of Sea-Tac International on Saturday. 97.3 KIRO FM Reporter Kim Shepard spoke to Mark Yanchak, the father of the toddler.

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A cranky 3-year-old was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight out of Sea-Tac International on Saturday. The airline said it was a matter of safety, but the boy's dad said it was an overreaction.
"Kids crying, people snoring, large, smelly people, we deal with it, it's normal," said Mark Yanchak of Everett.

Yanchak admits his son was being a little fussy as the flight was preparing for departure.
"He was crying, being cranky," said Yanchak. "I started putting him in his seat. I put his seatbelt on. But he was being cranky, trying to be close to me, so he wasn't fully fastened yet."

Yanchak said when his son didn't want to keep his seat-belt on, he enlisted the help of his wife. She had been seated with the couple's other son and her mother in first class.

After the boy's mother came back with a pacifier and some water, they were eventually able to get the boy to sit still. But by then, the pilot had already ordered the plane back to the gate.
A representative for Alaska Airlines asked Yanchak and his 3-year-old son to get off the plane. Yanchak said he wasn't given an explanation.

"They wouldn't tell us why," said Yanchak.
According to the airline, it was a judgment call. The crew was concerned because the boy did not want to sit upright and keep his seatbelt on. The airline said the pilot would rather deal with the issue on the ground than mid-flight.

Alaska offered to rebook the family on a later flight, but Yanchak says they have no desire to take any flight with the airline again.

He said he will give flying with his kids another shot, but fears this bad experience might stick with them.
"I'm not sure how the kids will feel about flying next time," said Yanchak.

"As soon as we got of the plane he was like, 'Dad, no fly, go home, let's go home," said Yanchak. "I think the whole ordeal just scared him off. He didn't want to fly again."

Sanity savers: 14 ways to entertain an antsy kid

Keep this list of on-the-go activities handy to reference while waiting in long lines or doctor's offices.

Magic finger
Hold the tips of your index fingers together, about 10 cm in front of your eyes. First, focus on your fingers, then look just beyond them. Where did that freaky third finger come from?

Mind games
Focus on an object, such as a painting, about 6 m away. Close one eye and hold up one finger in front of the object. Close that eye and open your other one. Did the painting move?

Handy trick
Find letters, numbers and shapes in the lines of each other’s palms.

I spell with my little eye
One player says a word. The other has to find objects around them that use each letter in the word. (In the grocery checkout, you might spell CAT: carrots, avocados, tomatoes.)

Act it out
À la Vanity Fair’s “In Character” column, take turns reacting to a scenario: Your kite just got stuck in a tree. A dog ate the hamburger out of your hand. Let your face do the talking.

Math mimic
Count to 10 in silly voices – like a clown or robot.

Band practice
Choose a tune and “play it” by snapping fingers, tapping toes or humming.

Mirror image

Face each other in a pat-a-cake stance, with palms not quite touching. One person slowly moves her hands (up, down, sideways, in different directions) and the other tries to mimic the movements. Bonus: This has a calming effect.

Strike the tree pose
Put your hands together in prayer style, slide one foot up your opposite leg and press the sole into your inner shin or thigh, with your knee pointed out to the side. See who can balance the longest.

Body rhythm
How many sounds can you make with your body? (Be prepared for at least one armpit fart!)

BRAIN TEASERS (more advanced for older kids)
Count on me
Take turns counting by twos, threes, 10s…and see how far you can go without making a mistake. Pick up the pace as you go.

Word builder
One person picks a letter (like M), the next person thinks of a letter that would lead to a word (O). Continue until a word is built.

Riddle me this
Choose a fruit or animal and give clues: “I start with the letter A. You like to eat me in pies. You picked a whole bunch of me at the farm last autumn.”

Zoo-phabet
Take turns naming an animal that starts with each letter of the alphabet. (Stuck on U? Try umbrella bird.)

 

Prayer About My Restless Antsy Heart

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Heavenly Father, I don’t have “ants in my pants”, but I am antsy. I don’t have “restless leg syndrome”, but I do have a restless heart. That’s why the command to be still and know that you are God, comes like a life-giving rebuke and a kiss from heaven. Please bring the settling and centering power of the gospel to bear—for my sake and the benefit of those around me.

I’m not sure what all’s going on inside of me. I haven’t been able to identify all the issues… but I know I’m not as peaceful, quiet or trusting as I want to be… or as you intend.

When I get in this anxious, edgy, squirmy place I usually run to my control idols. I try to micro-manage the chaos… and whoever and whatever is in sight. I start acting like an orphan or the 4th member of the Trinity… vacillating between irritation and indifference. I either multiply my words ad nauseam or withdraw into a sulky silence. I cannot remember a time when any of this ever led to anything good. It usually makes me less than a joy to be around.

So I humble myself before you, loving Father. I come boldly to an occupied throne of grace… throwing down my plastic scepter and presumption about being in control. You will be exalted among the nations, so be exalted in my heart… my day… my circumstances. You are God and I am not. You are in control and I am not. You are working in all things for our good and your glory.

Lord Jesus, take captive my roaming thoughts. As you spoke and stilled the tossing waves for nervous disciples, speak and still my disquieted emotions—even if nothing or no one around me changes. As you harnessed the power of the wind, harness the passions of my will, that I might obey the gospel of grace. So very Amen, I pray, in your mighty and merciful name.

ANTSY DOES TIME

1. Antsy does Time, like Unwind, has a death theme.   Unlike the characters of Unwind where they are being put to death, Antsy Does Time explores the prospect of death.   From the beginning where there is the accidental death of the balloon handler, to the near death of Antsy’s father from a heart attack and the “prospective” death of Gunnar the reader highlights the different reaction of each case.

  2. Antsy is my favorite character as he seems very mature for his age and is a loyal friend.   He is very connected to his family and tried to do something important for a person he thought was dying.

  3. The main conflict in the story is that Antsy’s friend Gunnar has a terminal illness and is expected to die within 6 months and Antsy does not know how to deal with it emotionally.

  4. The conflict is resolved by Antsy doing something meaningful for his friend which begins with him donating a month of his life to Gunnar.

  5. The time period of the novel is present day as everything that is described is the same as it would happen today.   For example, the Thanksgiving parade, school, and the way friends and family are portrayed.

  6. The novel does not have a dystopian society as Unwind.   The family unit, behavior and attitudes are the same as we have in the present day and come across very realistic.   The characters in this book could be someone you are at school with or even your next door neighbors.

  7. The climax of the story is when Antsy has found out Gunnar is not going to die but has gained so much support for Gunnar that he is due to give his speech in front of all the people at school.   Then, his father has a heart attack and he is faced with the real prospect of death.

  8. My favorite scene is when Antsy and Lexie take Old Man Crawley to Prospect Park and they go on the Zip Line.

  9. The genre of the story is “realistic fiction” which means that the story itself is not true but in real life it could... 

What causes someone to be antsy?  

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) syndrome can make on antsy. Too much caffeine can make one antsy. Some folks are just naturally antsy but can learn to control it by increasing their exercise and using relaxation techniques.

Restless Legs Syndrome

For a disorder which affects nearly 12 million people in U.S. alone, restless legs syndrome is quite unknown, or is it? The name may be unknown, but this disorder is not. Restless legs syndrome or Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome, as it is otherwise known as, causes an irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. The sensations are normally related to the limbs, but in severe cases can appear elsewhere too. It is known as a ‘spectrum' disease with some people experiencing only a minor annoyance, while others experience major issues. Restless legs syndrome or RLS can make it really hard to fall asleep and if at all, you fall asleep, you would eventually struggle remaining asleep. The syndrome leaves you tired during the night, making it hard for you to concentrate on your work during the day or even going through your daily chores. Restless legs syndrome usually begins slowly and keeps getting worse with passage of time. Therefore, it’s necessary to recognize, understand and treat this neurological disorder at the earliest. In the following lines, we have given detailed information on the causes, symptoms and treatment of restless legs syndrome.

 

Causes

RLS has been linked to various causes over the years. The main cause is deficiency of iron and resultant anemia or genetic heritage. However, the causes may vary from person to person. The most common conditions associated with this ailment are pregnancy, obesity, smoking, genetic heritage, nerve disease, polyneuropathy, hormonal diseases, Parkinson disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney failure, nerve damage. Intake of drugs, caffeine, alcohol, some anti-depressants can also lead to restless legs syndrome.

 

Symptoms

There are definite symptoms that need to be confirmed in order to be diagnosed with RLS. The most basic symptom is the urge to move the legs. This is mostly accompanied by an irritable sensation in the legs. These sensations, unlike normal sensations, cannot be described easily. People suffering from these urges can often relate to the explanations given by others. The sensations are described as antsy, creepy or electrical. The urge gets more rampant and becomes unbearable when you are not moving or are resting. These sensations are directly related to several factors like the severity of the person’s RLS, the degree of restfulness, the duration of the inactivity, etc. Moving around or walking may reduce the intensity of sensations or give relief. Most people find the symptoms to be less visible during the day and more evident in the evening or at night, especially during the onset of sleep.

 

Treatment

Treatment of restless leg syndrome is directed toward any underlying illness, if known. Permanent and guaranteed treatments for RLS are still in the pipeline. However, there are several methods that have been found beneficial in treating the ailment. For mild cases, lifestyle changes can help get rid of the symptoms easily. For instance, avoiding smoking and drinking can help a lot in getting over with RLS. Adopting good sleeping habits is a good way to deal with RLS too. Doing moderate physical activities is also advisable. Doing things that distract you and keeps your mind off the terrible sensations is another method.

 

There are certain activities which relieve us from the sensations for a short time and provide temporary relief. These activities include walking and stretching limbs, taking a bath, massaging the affected limb, using heat or ice packs on the affected limb. Try listening to music or even better try to solve crosswords or something that tests your mind. However, there are times when activities do not help and medication remains the only way out. In such scenarios, generally physicians choose from dopaminergics, benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressants), opioids, and anticonvulsants.

 

Dopaminergics, also used for treating Parkinson’s disease, have found considerable success in controlling and curing symptoms related to RLS. In 2005, the U.S. FDA approved the use of Ropinirole to treat moderate to severe RLS. Benzodiazepines (such as clonazepam and diazepam) may be prescribed for patients who have mild or intermittent symptoms, while opioids such as codeine, propoxyphene, or oxycodone may be given for their ability to induce relaxation and lessen pain. Unfortunately, none of these drugs are permanently effective and sometimes lose their effect after prolonged use. Moreover, there are no certain ways of discovering which drug is best suited for a certain person.