Just sit in the back row. Wouldn't that solve the problem?

Oh wait, then we have to solve the problem of being right by the bathroom. Sit in first class.

Wait, now we have to solve the problem of what to wear in first class.

Crefloors is exactly right about children's legs being short and sticking out in front of them. When my two where small I noticed that everytime they shifted, their feet would hit the seat in front of them. There was no intentional kicking and they didn't realize they were hitting the seat. I just told them to sit criss-cross with their feet on the seat to avoid hitting the seat in front of them. Maybe nicely asking a child to do this could be a solution.

I also agree with Karens about adults being the rudest people on airplanes. I had a flight attendant on an international flight complement my children on their behavior and then very LOUDLY remark that their manners were better than most of the adults on the plane.

Don't get us started on first class...

<" 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.">

We aren't talking about some poor kid trying to situate himself/herself, we are talking about some kid flat out wailing on the seat in front of him.

Big difference. I've been the victim of both.

Devonmcj is right. Little kids shouldn't be threatened with bodily harm.

If a kid is kicking your seat, strike up a conversation with them like, "Hey, do you like Dora the Explorer (or Barney,or whatever the h*ll little kids like nowadays?" Keep going 'til you get a positive answer, and then threatent to strangle or bludgeon Dora (or Barney, etc.) if the kid doesn't stop kicking your seat.

As the mom of three boys, I always feel sorry for the moms when kids act up.

At certain ages the only thing to do is drop everything and go home (I've left an entire cart of groceries at the store). However, in some places - like a plane - it's not possible

wsoxrebel has the right of it, it's tolerable if the parent is at least TRYING to make the child behave.

I also like the idea of a "footrest", it may help. Now, how to suggest this without giving offense...

TheWeasel - I think you're on to something... Even if the kid doesn't stop kicking, you have to pleasure to bludgeon Barney!

Have to admit bludgeoning Barney would bring me much more satisfaction than Dora.


Thanks for the laugh TheWeasel.

I posted this on my mini-trip report, but will add here as well...

Last weekend DH and I were out of town. We were having lunch at a little cafe and giggled when we saw a sign that read:

"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free puppy."

A bit off topic from your kicking seats post AONeal79, but thought you would appreciate it.

"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free puppy."

That's awesome.

I must admit, I'm one of those horrible people that (sometimes) gets kids wound up and then hand them back to their parents so they can deal with the aftermath. (What, you want a can of Coke and a bag of sugar for lunch? Certainly!) For some reason my siblings don't hand their children over to me very often.....

I once sat behind a disguised William Shatner and family IN COACH, on a late return flight form Hawaii. His kid in front of me was moving the seat back and forth along with my tray table.

I just beamed him up!

Thanks all, for your advice (and laughs). I don't have children yet, so I'm sort of at a loss... speaking of, at what age should you ask the parent to intervene, as opposed to asking the child directly? Maybe at under four or five, ask the parent?

And, for clarification, I was asking about seats on airplanes

Excuse me but I've been flying since I was five years old and I didn't kick the back of anyone's seat.

My parents would have beat my behind. Literally.

I knew not to get up out of my seat, keep my hands to myself, not to touch my sisters and to behave.

This wasn't an option and I didn't get rewarded for good behavior either.

I know my sisters and I weren't an anomaly because I myself have seen this same behavior by children on planes.

I've been flying since my precious Mom was pregnant with me.

So I may be guilty of kicking her, but I certainly was never so rude as to kick a total stranger or their seat for that matter.

"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free puppy."

LOL!

I've never done this (though I realllly wanted to a few times), but I always thought that while the placekicker was continuing to do their thing, I should get up, get a cup of water, come back to my seat, trip and dump it on them. Oops. They may still be kicking, but they wouldn't be very comfortable...maybe a Coke loaded with sugar would be better > Oops...

Would everyone who has never been overweight, never taken up more than your fair share of overhead space or seat dividers, never jerked your seat around during dinner, never grabbed the seat in front of you while leaving your seat, never stuck your rear end in anyone's face while passing others in the aisle, never had bad breath, smelly feet, snored, or talked a little too loudly, never hit anyone in the face with your carry-on stuff, sneezed during the flight, or accidentally spilled something please stand up and leave, because you are obviously perfect travelers. The rest stay where you are because someone far bigger than you is going to teach you to behave by threatening your life or twisting your fingers until you cry.

(if you were serious) I think threatening a child (who you do not know) is incredibly tacky.

As always I'm big on the direct approach, whether to the parent or the child or both... "Please stop kicking the back of my seat" should do it. If not then on to the cabin crew.

Tiff, I am not kidding about Thingorjus. He actually did this on a flight home from Paris. When his boyfriend told his mother (Thin's) the story, she wouldn't talk to him for a month. I yelled at him, too.

He promised he wouldn't do it again.

Christine

As a parent who threatens to tie my little one's shoe laces to the seat legs if he kicks the seat in front of him, I feel compelled to point out that for a small child sitting in a carseat on a plane, it is almost unavoidable to have their feet in contact with the seat in front of them when that seat is fully reclined.

I'm also very much against the "oh, he's only two, he won't understand no" school of parenting. Who are these people who pretend not to see the bad behavior of their children and ignore it? Is that what Prozac does to people? Yes, kids will be kids, but parents have to be parents. My 2 cents!

If anyone ever threatened or touched my child, however, my first call upon landing would be to the local DA's office.