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

[Unassisted]

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

I've found it to be increasingly true these days that the brattier the kid is, the more insufferable the parents are. Good luck convincing most parents of kids like that that they aren't entitled to take those kids wherever they damn well please.

I like that Southwest has some rules that make it clear that the customer is not always right.

[frenetic wave]

This article was written by an author on the heels of a book and Dr. Phil appearances. They are just writing an extreme opinion for attention and web views. Other than the facts surrounding the woman/child airplane story it's a bunch of empty words and inflated smoke. Nothing to see there.

As far as hitting your children, don't do it. Yeah, it takes more time and effort to find non-violent ways of disciplining a child, you have to use your brain and think, you have to confront your own anger/self-control issues, you don't get the satisfaction of getting back at your own parents for hitting you as a child, etc etc. But as much as you want to "teach them a lesson" all you are doing is setting them up for a lifetime of social, emotional and intimacy issues. It's not a coincidence that violent individuals and people with addictions always have child abuse stories. Adults can separate abuse and "lesson imparting smacks" but to a child it's the same thing. They remember getting hit by an adult twice their size. But before any parents explode on me, yes, I'm aware that parenting is a very personal and blinding thing. This is only my opinion, please don't hit me!

[Falls City Beer]

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.

Be honest: have your non-infant children caterwauled at the top of their lungs in public--with you unable to control it? I'm going to say that it hasn't happened to you before. I certainly could be wrong, of course. And I realize there are always exceptions, and it's the good decent thing to put yourself in the other parent's shoes and all, but really, should anyone have to tolerate unremitting shrieking in a cramped space? I agree with your point about giving the woman another ticket for a later flight--sure, it's good politics and general civility to allow the woman to transport her kid; just at a later time when the kid is sleeping or something.

[SunDeck]

Be honest: have your non-infant children caterwauled at the top of their lungs in public--with you unable to control it? I'm going to say that it hasn't happened to you before. I certainly could be wrong, of course. And I realize there are always exceptions, and it's the good decent thing to put yourself in the other parent's shoes and all, but really, should anyone have to tolerate unremitting shrieking in a cramped space?

I have, but one of my kids is on the autism spectrum, so I'm probably not a fair representation of the point you're trying to make. But that is probably the reason I don't get all bent out of shape when someone's kid is raising the roof with their lungs- I've been there, and I'm also a little thankful that it's not my kid this time.
Anyway, if you're trying to say that most people should be able to get their kids to quiet down, I agree.

[GIDP]

You never know how exactly a kid is going to act. I suggest people learn how to deal with kids instead of letting it bother them so much. I hate people who act like they are a class above even if they are.

[Roy Tucker]

I've been on flights before where I was near a crying baby. Sometimes babies are just fussy and no amount of cuddling, cooing, feeding, or burping will settle them down. I feel for parents in that situation and are usually empathetic.

I've also been near young kids on planes that are their usual frisky and ebullient selves. Sometimes the parents do a good job of letting the kids' steam out slowly and keep them occupied and sometimes not. Those are sometimes borderline kinds of situations and I usually keep my mouth shut if the parent is giving it a good try. I've been known to say something if a parent is ignoring an unruly child.

Its never happened to me, but if a kid is freaking out, I can see where the flight crew may deem it a safety problem. If the kid is out of control and the parent isn't able to handle it, then its best to take him off the flight.

[dougdirt]

This article was written by an author on the heels of a book and Dr. Phil appearances. They are just writing an extreme opinion for attention and web views. Other than the facts surrounding the woman/child airplane story it's a bunch of empty words and inflated smoke. Nothing to see there.

As far as hitting your children, don't do it. Yeah, it takes more time and effort to find non-violent ways of disciplining a child, you have to use your brain and think, you have to confront your own anger/self-control issues, you don't get the satisfaction of getting back at your own parents for hitting you as a child, etc etc. But as much as you want to "teach them a lesson" all you are doing is setting them up for a lifetime of social, emotional and intimacy issues. It's not a coincidence that violent individuals and people with addictions always have child abuse stories. Adults can separate abuse and "lesson imparting smacks" but to a child it's the same thing. They remember getting hit by an adult twice their size. But before any parents explode on me, yes, I'm aware that parenting is a very personal and blinding thing. This is only my opinion, please don't hit me!

To a child it is not the same thing. I was spanked as a child. I had no social, emotional or intimacy issues. There is a large difference between spanking a child and abusing a child. Kids who were spanked, not abused, are not going to be anymore prone to anything than those who weren't.

[Falls City Beer]

To a child it is not the same thing. I was spanked as a child. I had no social, emotional or intimacy issues. There is a large difference between spanking a child and abusing a child. Kids who were spanked, not abused, are not going to be anymore prone to anything than those who weren't.

My wife was hit as a kid too, and has suffered no long-lasting emotional problems from it. But statistically, you're wrong: even if you're just spanked, you're far more likely to suffer from emotional problems later in life. And you're certainly more likely to spank your own children. That's not a criticism, just the numbers, for what they're worth.

[dougdirt]

My wife was hit as a kid too, and has suffered no long-lasting emotional problems from it. But statistically, you're wrong: even if you're just spanked, you're far more likely to suffer from emotional problems later in life. And you're certainly more likely to spank your own children. That's not a criticism, just the numbers, for what they're worth.

I would love to see these numbers and how they were gathered. Numbers can be made to say just about anything. I would like to see the numbers on kids who came from homes where there was no alcoholism and no divorce who were spanked/not spanked. I doubt there is a difference worth noting in that data.

[Hoosier Red]

On my flight back from China this past summer, a two year old cried for roughly 24 of the 13 hours flight. My buddy volunteered to personally take the little whiner to the cargo hold if the parents wanted.

[Hoosier Red]

JEFFREY!

[Falls City Beer]

I would love to see these numbers and how they were gathered. Numbers can be made to say just about anything. I would like to see the numbers on kids who came from homes where there was no alcoholism and no divorce who were spanked/not spanked. I doubt there is a difference worth noting in that data.

The data is everywhere. And while I would certainly agree that it's highly unlikely that one event (spanking) no matter how commonly used contributes exclusively to emotional difficulties in later life, most studies indicate that it certainly contributes. In the same way we can't "prove" that cigarette-smoking causes lung cancer, we can't lab-test spanking, but the circumstantial evidence is big and tall and carries a huge paddle.

[Scrap Irony]

My wife and I came from completely different backgrounds, much like FCB and his wife. We did some pretty serious research on child rearing when we found out we were pregnant and I can definately back FCB's claim about spanking.

Spanking is NOT a good idea simply because the child doesn't understand it. They're incapable of separating "lesson" from "hitting" because their ethical centers aren't developed enough at that young an age.

Again, this is according to the experts.

[paintmered]

JEFFREY!

You beat me to it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0cYJUqJys

[dougdirt]

My wife and I came from completely different backgrounds, much like FCB and his wife. We did some pretty serious research on child rearing when we found out we were pregnant and I can definately back FCB's claim about spanking.

Spanking is NOT a good idea simply because the child doesn't understand it. They're incapable of separating "lesson" from "hitting" because their ethical centers aren't developed enough at that young an age.

Again, this is according to the experts.

I remember things from as young as age 3. I knew why I was getting spanked. I knew when I did something I wasn't supposed to what would happen. Maybe I was just a lot smarter than other kids are?