One dad left his kids in coach while he flew first class, and the internet is divided

Should children fly in first class? One wealthy dad left his kids in coach while he sat in first class — and people are opinionated about it.

"See you later," property investor Samuel Leeds said to his children in a recent TikTok video shot on an airplane. The footage follows Leeds all the way through the plan to first class, where he joins his wife and business partner for wine and dinner.

“Don’t worry, they sat with their nanny," Leeds, a father of three, wrote in the caption.

"Rich people, don't spoil your kids," said Leeds in a video voice-over. "Walking past business class because I earned it ... agree or disagree?"

Leeds’ followers replied favorably to the video with more than 26,000 views.

"Your hard-earned money, not theirs," someone wrote. "This is a teachable moment when they get older."

"I support this ... kids are so entitled these days," a person wrote. "They'll be alright."

One childcare provider pointed out, "It's not like you left your wife sitting with the kids and your nanny ..."

"I wouldn't be teaching them a lesson," a person said. "I'd be doing it for a peaceful flight," they noted, adding, "It's giving bougie child neglect."

Others criticized Leeds for leaving his children in a different flight cabin, even with supervision.

“Wouldn’t you want to spend time with your children?” another wrote.

"I understand the lesson but no way am I being that far away from my girls," someone else said.

TODAY.com reached out to Leeds, who was not available for comment. His team directed TODAY.com to a response video shared on Instagram, responding to "recent attacks on my parenting."

According to Leeds, a self-sufficient lifestyle benefits children when they're older.

"What happens when their friends say, 'Hey, should we go skiing (in) Canada?' And they can't afford to go first (class) but they're used to going first (class)?" he said in the video. "They'll be ruined, they'll be spoiled. I'll be damned if I spoil my kids."

Leeds continued, "They need to understand the value of money. I'll tell my kids, 'You see this house that we live in? Daddy bought that because I worked so hard ... you can't just grow up thinking it's normal, that it's normal to fly first class, it's normal to live in a mansion — no, it's not normal."

"It's OK to have the luxury as long as you understand where it came from, when you understand the process of how to get it," he added. "And money doesn't make you happy, particularly when you inherit it and have it given to you on a plate."

Leeds is open to giving his kids a shot in the family business, he said, as long as they start from the bottom and work their way up.

"I love my kids to bits ... but ultimately, they're going to have to go through the same process as everybody does," he said.

Instagram commenters mostly agreed with Leeds.

One parent wrote about his child, "I will only buy him the things he needs as an everyday necessity and it’s up to him to earn his own money by doing chores around the house to buy the things he wants!"

And somebody questioned: "Why are people so concerned about (what) you do with YOUR kids?"

This article was originally published on TODAY.com