Do parents have a right to take unruly kids on a plane?

[Chip R]

This writer doesn't think so.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...,2649186.story

[Razor Shines]

I guess I don't really remember the story she's referencing, but agree with her somewhat.

When I was a kid I knew better than to act up in a public place, I knew what'd happen when I got home. And my 3 younger brothers knew the same. Most times I'm sure you could see people cringe as my parents brought 4 young boys into a restaurant or airplane, but I can't count the number of times before our meal was over that people came up to my parents and made comments on how they couldn't believe how well behaved the 4 of us were. And it wasn't because we were anything special, it was that we knew the consequences of embarrassing our mother.

[GAC]

I'm wondering if they have a right to take them to the grocery store, restaurants, and a lot of public places. Geez!

Ran into one such situation yesterday at WalMart. These two children, both pre-school, were yelling, crying, and screaming the whole time they were in the store. Even when you were a distance away you could still hear them. And the parents did nothing. A couple times the kids would lay on the floor throwing a tantrum with the parent trying to get them to stand up, but to no avail.

Me? I'd have picked the kid up, told the spouse we'll be out in the car, and when we got home, the kid would have got it big time. But that's just me.

These kids were old enough to know that what they were doing was wrong. They ain't as stupid as some may think. And when they, with predetermination, knowingly cross that line, and question authority, that's when the "authority" needs to let them know it will have consequences.

[Joseph]

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

[SunDeck]

I once was on a flight and a woman behind me with a toddler tapped me on the shoulder and offered a pair of ear plugs BEFORE the child started crying. As it turned out, the kid wasn't much of a problem, but I respected the fact that she wanted to get on our good side before any problems occurred.

[RedsManRick]

Flying on a plane is not a right -- it's use of a private service. If the airline wanted to bar the kid & family from flying, they would be perfectly within in their rights to do so (presuming a non-discriminatory basis).

Southwest made a completely reasonable decision to place the experience of the rest of its passengers ahead of this family. The burden should fall on the parent to find the best way to make things work.

[Falls City Beer]

I guess I don't understand the idea that you have to hit in order to teach a child to behave. My parents never laid a hand on me or my siblings, and we NEVER made these kinds of displays in public or otherwise. We were taught the meaning of the word "No," and both my parents put up a universal front against us kids that enforced the "No." No triangulation, no "but MOM lets me!!!" crap. No means no. Plain and simple. No paddles, belts, nothing. We knew our limitations as long as it was consistent.

My wife and I have done the same with our two daughters, and...wonder of wonders--it works!

[Chip R]

I guess I don't understand the idea that you have to hit in order to teach a child to behave. My parents never laid a hand on me or my siblings, and we NEVER made these kinds of displays in public or otherwise. We were taught the meaning of the word "No," and both my parents put up a universal front against us kids that enforced the "No." No triangulation, no "but MOM lets me!!!" crap. No means no. Plain and simple. No paddles, belts, nothing. We knew our limitations as long as it was consistent.

My wife and I have done the same with our two daughters, and...wonder of wonders--it works!

Interesting but off the point.

[Falls City Beer]

Interesting but off the point.

I was referring to "Spare the rod, spoil the child." It's like child-rearing discussions are either "Let him do whatever he wants; never say 'no.'" or "Whip his arse!"

I say neither, and I know it works.

To the other topic, RMR is right of course. They are totally within their rights to turn unruly customers away.

[Chip R]

I was referring to "Spare the rod, spoil the child." It's like child-rearing discussion are either "Let him do whatever he wants; never say 'no.'" or "Whip his arse!"

I say neither, and I know it works.

So, do you believe parents have the right to take children out in public if they are prone to be unruly?

[Falls City Beer]

So, do you believe parents have the right to take children out in public if they are prone to be unruly?

It depends on how you define public, I guess. The problem with this country is that not a lot of its land is public. So you're always going to have people breathing down your neck about the behavior of your children.

[TeamSelig]

The best way to get a kid to stop throwing a tantrum is to ignore him/her. Tantrums are to get their way or receive attention. If they don't get either, they realize it doesn't work.

[Chip R]

It depends on how you define public, I guess. The problem with this country is that not a lot of its land is public. So you're always going to have people breathing down your neck about the behavior of your children.

Restaurants, airplanes, theaters, places of worship, ball games, places like that.

In this column, the writer was appalled that this woman got a free flight because her child acted up. She feels that the heat Southwest Airlines would take from booting the woman and her child from the flight and not compensating her would be worth the PR fire SW would take.

[Falls City Beer]

Restaurants, airplanes, theaters, places of worship, ball games, places like that.

In this column, the writer was appalled that this woman got a free flight because her child acted up. She feels that the heat Southwest Airlines would take from booting the woman and her child from the flight and not compensating her would be worth the PR fire SW would take.

Corporate triangulation.

The rank-and-file chucked them off the plane, then corporate undercuts their decision by making nicey-nice.

A united front against whiny brats: a peaceful America.

[SunDeck]

I don't see the problem with the airline giving them a voucher. It's a way of saying "let's try again some other time", and it at least acknowledges the fact that the kid might have been acting out because of factors other than just being a brat. I've schlepped my kids across the country a couple of times and thankfully people have always been very understanding of the situation. Take a two year old out of their routine, introduce them to a seemingly limitless amount of new stimuli, limit their movements...it's a recipe for a meltdown.

As to the question of whether parents have a right to take their kids into public places...I think the question answers itself. At the same time, parents have a responsibility to pack it in and go home when they realize they've extended their kids too far. No need to tan a hide- just admit defeat, retreat and regroup for another day.