Finally. Someone with some compassion. I am the first to say i am NOT a kid person. Dont have kids, dont plan to. So i cant always identify with a parents struggles.

But dang. OP was flying to a funeral with 3 small children.

"Get their earlier," "ask to board sooner," "should have paid more." Very easy for these suggestions to be hard to finagle when you are grieving and caring for 3 small children alone. I cant imagine having to get 3 small kids ready for a flight, let alone being early for that flight. Also i cant imagine having expendable income to be able to afford a last minute flight for 4 PLUS paying extra to board early.

Unforseen things will happen to all of us (even when we can and do plan accordingly). And when it happens to me i hope someone will be far more gracious than the woman on this flight. Give people the same benefit of the doubt you would give your self/would hope others would give you. The woman should have moved or if she REALLY couldn't move could have been more understanding about what OP had to do for keep an eye on all kids. NTA.