andyg

you are right kids should be made to behave. but never told they would be strangled.

toedtoes

This discussion reminds me of a story...

I have made a rule with my nieces. When they visit me, we don't eat at fast food or anyplace that combines food with playtime. They used to grumble, but now at 10 and 13, they've pretty much accepted it. So, we go to various restaurants of different types (even some "nice restaurants"). I've spent several years working on their behavior. Teaching them to sit politely and don't climb over the furniture; no arguing; etc. A while back, we went out to dinner and seated next to us was a large family group with kids of various ages. The kids were running around the table, screaming and hitting. As we sat there trying to have a conversation, my 9 year old niece said "Do they have to run around and scream like that, I can't hear myself talk." I was so proud! And, yes, I used it as a moment to explain why my "rules" are so tough.

As for threatening to strangle kids, maybe it would be more effective to just strangle the parents (preferably before they have kids).

Devonmcj

What kind of creep would brag about threatening a child? And apparently only one person here thinks this is wrong. I've got to stop reading this forum.

marigross

"It is the unattending parents that I find unforgivable"

I HEAR you! Planes, restaurants, museums, doctor's waiting rooms, EVERYWHERE! I want to scream at the adults: BE THE PARENT!!!!

I must say that if someone offered to strangle my DD I would be quite angry (For argument sake I will assume that that was not the opening statement and it was a last resort).

On the other hand DD knew that if a situation turned that bad, I was that one that would be doing the 'strangling'. At 13 DD is still responsive to THE LOOK.

karens

Why is it OK to respond to a (rude) child by being totally rude?! What's the message there?

sistahlou - I thank you. I had a kicking child and would say about a billion times to stop kicking, I would bring a ton of stuff to keep him occupied, and I would make him switch seats to avoid one person dealing with it. (I also always requested the bulkhead which totally solved the problem, but that request wasn't always granted). Thankfully, he doesn't do this anymore, but we did TRY and we tried hard. After all, we couldn't just strangle him!

lisettemac

As the mom of a 2 yr old who has kicked the back of an airplane seat, sometimes there isn't much you can do about it! I ALWAYS remove my toddler's shoes when we get on the plane -- at least the kicks are gentler that way. I am embarrassed and horrified by this behavior, and frequently correct the child, but as any adult of a toddler knows -- they don't have much impulse control (if any)!!

From all of the parents of a kicking child, I offer my humble apologies.

GoTravel

You turn around to the kid and say politely but firmly, "Do not kick my seat again".

You shouldn't need to address the parent.

wsoxrebel

Both Dr Seuss and I can't stand to have our seats kicked:
in the air - it isn't fair;
on a train - oh what a pain!
on a bus - what a fuss;
at the Knicks - I hate those kicks!
at the film - I think "Kill'em!";
at the show - they've got to go.

But what does soften the blows are the few conscious parents who realize their kids are driving me nuts. When the parent is trying to make the situation better, I can live through it gracefully.

happytrailstoyou

GoTravel, I'm surprised to learn it is acceptable to correct other people's children; I have always thought it is not. HTTY

GoTravel

Rude schmood, if some brat is kicking the back of my seat and his parent(s) can't figure out that is rude, I'm correcting junior.

Tiff

AONeal79, just take any flight that my DH and I are on, then you won't be bothered as the kicking child inevitably is always behind me.

handmaiden

Have you ever noticed that when a woman turns around and asks the parent(s) to control the children they are less likely to get results than if a MAN asks?

I had an incident where I turned around and asked a little girl (probably 5 years old) to stop kicking the back of my seat. She wouldn't stop. I was so agitated I told my husband (he was sleeping; I woke him up). He turned around and yelled at the mother. She started gasping "So, so sorry, sir. I won't happend again." And it didn't.

Don't ever do what Thingorjus has done in the past. (Believe me, I have taken him to task for it.) He dropped his luggage, which was up in the overhead bin, on a kid who would not stop kicking his seat.

"Whoops, it must have slipped."

Christine

Tiff

That TG is such a little

I do so miss him.

littlemarysunshine

My mother, the revered Sun Goddess, taught me that parents may correct children, teachers may correct pupils, and employers may correct employees. Her wisdom has guided me in many awkward situations. Thanks Mom.

bear900

I had a friend who would respond, "Hey, that’s fun! Let me try it but first let me see your hand."

Stooping to their level, he would take their pinky and bend the knuckle in just enough for them to stop whatever they were doing that was irritating. They always stopped and became quite mannerly afterwards. The parents were generally glad to have someone else take control.

He could get away with it. I would probably land in jail!

Devonmcj

I'm really having a hard timing believing what I'm reading here. Not all children on planes are even accompanied by parents. Do you know for a fact that the adult sitting next to a child is her mother? How would you like to think about your child alone on a plane being threatened with death by an adult male stranger and assaulted by another man who "accidentally" let luggage fall on her head, while the other passengers sit in passive agreement. And all because the child, who can barely move without touching the seat in front of her, makes the flight a little uncomfortable for someone who probably has his seat pushed back into her lap.

Planes aren't comfortable. Children are not adults. Grow up, get a grip, try to show a little compassion and understanding for others, especially children.

By the way, threatening to kill a child is not rude, it's criminal.

bardo1

If the child really can't stop kicking, then how about trading seats with the PARENT?

I'll bet anything that child will then stop kicking!

Even it doesn't, at least it will be the childs parent getting kicked and not you.

karens

bardo - I've never been the recipicient of a kicking child, but I always thought that if I was, I would ask the parent to switch with me so THEY could get kicked.

And - to all of you who think it's OK to yell at or tell another child what to do, I wonder if you are as rude to adults. The rudest people I've encountered on airplanes are adults - grabbing the back of my seat to stand up, reclining their seat ALL the way back the ENTIRE flight, etc. In those instances, do you turn around and yell at the adults or tell them what to do? Do you threaten to strangle adults? (And if you do, how does that usually work for you?)

crefloors

Children are little beasts and should be caged until they are at least 18!!! LOL Actually, I think part of the problem is that when they are little their legs are short and stick out in front of them. If they sit where their legs will bend over the end of the seat then they are actually sitting way forward in the seat, so consequently, if they are sitting with their back against the seat, when they move around their feet hit the back of the seat in front of them, expecially in economy, where there IS no room between seats to start with. Having the parent...hmmm or guardian change seats with the kid will work for YOU, but will just transfer the "problem" to the person sitting next to you.

Tiff

Devonmcj, I believe that handmaiden was kidding about the luggage dropping thing, at least that is the way I interpreted it.

Most unaccompanied children that I have seen are in bulkhead seating.

I think everyone here is just letting off a little steam and having some sarcastic fun.

Obviously none of us would want to see a child injured for heaven's sake.