When a father spent 45 minutes holding his daughter’s head so she could sleep comfortably during a flight, the tender moment quickly captured the attention of social media and ignited a lively online debate. While countless people praised the act as “precious” and heartwarming, others criticized it, suggesting the dad was raising a “hopeless damsel in distress” with no ability to solve problems independently.

Roughly three years ago, a Reddit user shared a photo on the MadeMeSmile subreddit showing the devoted father cradling his daughter’s head in his hand for a full 45 minutes while she slept. Rather than letting her use a pillow or rest her head on the seat, the dad—seated directly behind her—leaned forward and extended his hand so his little girl could rest comfortably and drift off peacefully.

The post, titled “This man kept his hand in this position for 45 minutes so his daughter could sleep well,” quickly went viral, amassing over 67,000 upvotes and sparking thousands of comments.

‘Lack of creative problem solving’
While many called the father’s gesture touching, others raised practical objections. One user remarked, “I feel like… I feel like there’s a better way,” while another added, “Shows a distinct lack of creative problem solving. 45 minutes, and you couldn’t think of a practical solution?”

Adding humor to the discussion, one commenter quipped, “Tired of having your hand fall asleep just so someone else can too? Introducing: ‘The Pillow!’ ‘The Pillow’ comes with state-of-the-art cushion technology for all your head-supporting needs. Say goodbye to numb hands and say hello to ‘The Pillow!’”