The kindness of strangers: I was a ball of stress taking my four children on an international flight – then a passenger tucked a blanket around my sleeping son

‘My husband travelled ahead to organise a place for us to live. I followed him seven weeks later with our four children.’ Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian design

I won’t lie – I was having nightmares before the trip. When my family immigrated to Australia from Europe, my husband travelled ahead to organise a place for us to live. I followed him seven weeks later with our four children, all aged under seven. I was a ball of stress for weeks in the lead-up.

Walking on to the plane with four kids in tow, I could almost hear people think, “Oh my God, I don’t want to be seated next to them!” And I completely understand.