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On An Airplane Next To A Fat Guy

pick him up?

He's in the car seat. Pick him and up he might start screaming or standing up on the lap. If the aisle seat isn't a parent, the kid may start messing with them too.
 
I'm sure you would be happy with someone kicking the back of your seat and yelling in your ear the whole flight.

No, but who says you're entitled to be happy all the time?
 
He's in the car seat. Pick him and up he might start screaming or standing up on the lap. If the aisle seat isn't a parent, the kid may start messing with them too.

You're right. Best to do nothing. After all, its only 2 hours. If people can't deal with it, that's their problem, right?
 
It's cool. Most parents are selfish. Their little darling can do no wrong. The rest of us will just suffer along, event though there are many viable solutions that would make the situation more tolerable to everyone.

Hilarious. The group bitching because a child's legitimate discomfort ruins their bargain basement air travel are the unselfish group. Got it. Parents are awful.
 
It's not okay, and you of course try to stop it. That's a given, and part of the reason why I don't need the aggrieved traveler's input on the matter during the flight. But a child's feet in a carseat are going to bump the seat in front of them from time to time, because that's where they hang. If he's straight-up kicking it, I'd remove him to calm him down and tell him that's not okay. But if he's bumping it unintentionally, no more than periodically, and you turn around and pop off after the third contact, as you claimed you would earlier, that chat isn't going to go well for you if you're impolite.

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The guy who brought it up said he would do nothing. Obviously we're not talking about an occasional bump. I figured the word "kicking" implied more than that.

How would the chat go then though? I'm genuinely curious. And is it impolite to turn and say "please stop your child from kicking my seat?" Because the person who brought it up certainly seemed to think so.

And regarding "popping off" here is EXACTLY what I said: "Have you ever been kicked from the seat behind you? Once is free. Twice gets a quick glance over the shoulder. 3 times gets a request to control the child. "

Can you read? If not, how are we arguing? Weird.
 
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Hilarious. The group bitching because a child's legitimate discomfort ruins their bargain basement air travel are the unselfish group. Got it. Parents are awful.

Who is the one responsible for bringing onboard the child disturbing everyone in ear shot?
 
So what is your solution? How do you get a 15 month old to stop kicking the seat?

That is the problem. I usually plan my flights around nap time or food time to keep him quiet/entertained for awhile.

Another thing that has become a life saver is the iPad or any touch screen phone/apparatus. I have Cars and Cars 2 on my iPad, and the kid is glued to that or playing any one of the ridiculous kids apps for at least an hour. Other things that work well is going to the Dollar Store before the flight and buy like $10 worth of junk - stickers, books, toys - each one gives you at least 10 minutes from the opening and initial shock/joy - and sometimes you get lucky and a pack of stickers will entertain for an hour.
 
I don't think anybody said they would "do nothing". I just think those of us who have kids or a clue know that (1) if a kid is kicking your seat, the parent has already been doing things to calm him down and (2) there's only so much a parent can do on a plane to control a child that age. The best parenting measure for a kid that age are separating him from the situation or a spanking. One is unfeasible and the other could lead to escalation.

It's a pretty selfish response to determine that a situation should go from where a child is only disturbing you to potentially disturbing the whole plane.
 
You're right. Best to do nothing. After all, its only 2 hours. If people can't deal with it, that's their problem, right?

Yeah, partly. You're an adult. You ought to be able to deal with stuff. When there's a two-hour traffic jam on I-40 because some dumbass was texting while driving and caused a six-car pile-up do you stop at the scene and give everyone a piece of your mind?

No kid is going to yell and kick for two hours straight unless he's having some kind of a fit and needs medication.

And here's another revelation, you were probably a bit of a pain in the ass when you were a kid on an airplane too. And if your parents were broke and didn't take you anywhere, that's not a reason to take it out on a stranger.
 
Who is the one responsible for bringing onboard the child disturbing everyone in ear shot?

You are on a plane that willingly allows children of all ages. Who is the one responsible for recognizing that means that a little kid may be on the plane screaming? It is only slightly less expected than the engine noise. If you don't want to deal with it, fly first class or go charter your own plane.
 
I don't think anybody said they would "do nothing". I just think those of us who have kids or a clue know that (1) if a kid is kicking your seat, the parent has already been doing things to calm him down and (2) there's only so much a parent can do on a plane to control a child that age. The best parenting measure for a kid that age are separating him from the situation or a spanking. One is unfeasible and the other could lead to escalation.

It's a pretty selfish response to determine that a situation should go from where a child is only disturbing you to potentially disturbing the whole plane.

Yes and no - I understand that the people around me paid $300+ for this flight and we are in a cramped space, so I am going to do all I can to make sure my kid isn't a pest. And my kid can be a HUGE pest.
 
Exactly, 2&2. If you get annoyed by the screaming kid ruining your date at TGI Friday's then man up and take her out to Chez Fancy. Same principle. Don't act surprised when there is a child on a plane.

And I'm willing to be the same punks who bitch about loud kids on a plane are the last ones to credit a parent when a child is behaving well on a plane.
 
Yes and no - I understand that the people around me paid $300+ for this flight and we are in a cramped space, so I am going to do all I can to make sure my kid isn't a pest. And my kid can be a HUGE pest.

Oh yeah. Pretty much all parents are like that. What Toogs and District don't realize is that chlidren don't come with a magic button to turn them on and off.
 
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The guy who brought it up said he would do nothing. Obviously we're not talking about an occasional bump. I figured the word "kicking" implied more than that.

How would the chat go then though? I'm genuinely curious. And is it impolite to turn and say "please stop your child from kicking my seat?" Because the person who brought it up certainly seemed to think so.

First, I don't know a single parent who doesn't spend basically the entire flight trying to limit how much their child disturbs those around him. It's a constant, exhausting, never-ending vigliance process involves snacks, technology, stories, games, toys, etc., that doesn't end until you're safely back in the terminal. But if I'm losing that battle, which has only happened once, I don't need to hear about it from those around me. You can live through a two-hour unpleasantness and bitch later to your other child-hating friends. I did what I could.

As to the chat, if you're polite to me, I'm polite back. Always. Even if you're repeatedly complaining like a douche. Frankly, I'd be a little surprised at someone who'd really turn around and say anything, given that pretty much anyone who's ever traveled with a child knows that it's not a fun experience, and that the parent is doing the best they can, and that they really don't need any side comments. But if you're going to get all self-important and chastizing-happy, I'm going to be less than polite, because in the end, I'm doing what I can, don't know you, and think you're likely an awful person, the type that will turn around and be rude to a parent and child on a two-hour flight.
 
Oh yeah. Pretty much all parents are like that. What Toogs and District don't realize is that chlidren don't come with a magic button to turn them on and off.

...or that all the best parenting tactics in the world aren't going to keep a small child on their best behavior 100% of the time.
 
Who is the one responsible for bringing onboard the child disturbing everyone in ear shot?

Can I ask how old you are? Is this just an internet opinion, or do you honestly believe that parent shouldn't fly with their kids, ever, because of the slight chance the kid might cry, and bother a few other travelers? I really find it hard to credit that anyone over the age of 18 would think this.

Not to be rude, but your post read like the exact, specific person who I couldn't care less if my kid bothers, because you seem totally indifferent to the realities of being a parent, and just assume that is a kid starts crying then someone is to blame.
 
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