These days there are much worse things on a plane to worry about then kids kicking seats. :-?

Flying on the Greyhound of the skies?

Tess <-----ducking and running!

I always love it when parents make excuses for their children's misbehavior and act as if there is absolutely nothing they can do to control it. Of course, kicking the back of someone's seat simply reconfirms the child's desperation for attention and who can blame them when they've endured their parent's non-attention for so long.

Got me laughing Tess!

Let's ROLL!!!

Crefloors - I agree. You watch Super Nanny or Nanny 911 and you think what the ** is wrong with these parents who let a 2 year old literally beat them. These are the same parents who sit on the plane ignoring their child while they are kicking the seats, pulling your hair (because they have to grab your seat so they can stand on theirs), screaming, whining, yelling, etc.

I don't have a problem with a child, even if he/she is doing all the above, if the parent/guardian is TRYING to stop the behavior.

I do have a problem when they ignore it and expect the rest of the world to do the same.

I also get a bit tired of the "kids will be kids" and "they don't have the attention span", etc. Kids have been expected to behave and listen to their parents for centuries. There are always exceptions for various legitimate reasons (psychological, physical, etc.) or despite everything their parents did, but for the most part kids behaved. Now all of a sudden, kids can't be expected to behave, it's unnatural. Honestly, it sounds like lazy parenting to me. My Mother's best advice she ever gave was "be your child's mother not his/her friend".

<<end of rant>>

It is deeply saddening to read what has been written here.

It reveals things about my fellow travelers that I would rather not know.

Nonetheless, I can honestly say that having spent a month in Spain this year, I would be very happy to never again encounter a Spaniard under the age of 50.

Kids kicking, adults belching & drinking, teen girls appying nailpolish, obese seat mates, and of course too-much-perfume pauline. I have been a victim of it all.

Patience and tolerance sounds good in theory, but a business traveler who has been away from home for a week, getting no sleep in a strange bed, developing poor eating habits while on the run, has absolutely no patience.

Usually the flights are the few hours before the storm and after the storm to get the paperwork done so you don't have to take it home with you. It is very difficult to read a laptop screen when your seat is being constantly jostled.

Have some compassion and GIVE ME the toy, the espresso, the puppy, and the pepsi. Thanks for listening.

"It is deeply saddening to read what has been written here.

It reveals things about my fellow travelers that I would rather not know."

Again, some people take this thread way too seriously. If you find yourself experiencing deep depression over a Fodor's thread like this, you should take some time off to get a little perspective. Yikes.

I'm a mom and the best mom that you ever could imagine...so say my husband kids and friends. Having said that, the first thing I thought of when I read this thread was "cut the kids' legs off" simple! So there...so sue me....they have no business kicking the seat, period. If they can't behave on the plane, drive them in a car and you can suffer with them instead of inflicting your little darlings on others.

Good God, Bear...the best I can "bear" on the Greyhound of the skies is a flight to Seattle (barely) or San Diego. Other than that, it's first or business class and that's it. Oh wait, I forgot Jet Blue, they're a pretty darned good airline. Now put your tray in the upright position and behave.

Well TravelTess, I guess then you won't mind when someone cuts off your kids legs, hands, etc. for running in the store, throwing sand at the beach, or any number of things they might find annoying - even some things you may never have thought of.

Devonmcj - my kids have never done those things. They're now too old to do them so I guess not

I'm sure your children were perfect in every way and you were a flawless parent, so there's absolutely no reason whatsoever for you have any tolerance for the antics of other people's children.

Lord amighty, it's too bad some people here didn't get their hands cut off when they were little so that when they grew up, they weren't able to get online and be so grumpy.

I still like my idea the best: threaten to inflict great bodily harm on their favorite cartoon character. That, or duct tape their legs to the underside of their seat, or better yet, put a little shocker in your seat back so they get zapped anytime they kick.

Gosh Weasel, I thought I was pretty funny - at least as funny as child abuse. I guess some people just can't take a joke.

Oh. You were joking the whole time? My bad.
In that case, HAHAHAHA. Those were some pretty funny post, Devon, you really had me going! LOL!

Now you go. Tell me something funny.

Devonmcj - my children are teenagers, so, no...they're not perfect, never said they were. They never kicked a person's seat while on a plane. They have manners. Got a problem with that? Sorry, that they aren't and weren't brats. Good, wise and loving parenting works every time. Give it a try....

Some people should never breed!!!! I was smart enough to know I certainly shouldn't, too bad more people can't figure it out before it's too late!!!

bugswife, very true.

After a week of being a road warrior and away from home, I have zero tolerance.

Tess, with all due respect, you were coming off as a bit superior. I'm sure your kids were very mannerly growing up as were mine. I would never allow one of my kids to be rude to or inconvenience anyone else. But, they slip up once in a while, say, for instance, unthinkingly throwing sand at the beach. Devon is just arguing for some tolerance. And while I have read this thread in the fun spirit in which it was intended, it is a little disturbing to read, "Cut their legs off, duct tape them to seat, etc." That's just not particularly funny.