Is it appropriate to let your child kick the seat in front of them on an airplane?

[Anonymous]

Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

No, but I cross my legs and move around more because I am tall (the person who is 5'6" that's not tall enough for you to feel it as much) and it is really uncomfortable to have someone fully recline in my seat. The result the person's seat in front of me gets jostled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

I recline about half-way in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's appropriate to "let" your child kick the seat, but I also think that people need to realize that in a small space everyone is trying to get comfortable, and things can happen. If your toddler kicks and kicks it's not fair. If his feet tap the seat in front of him once or twice before you manage to get a hand on their leg, well, that happens.

I've only flown with my child once when kicking was even really a possibility. The first trip we took he was still rear facing, so it wasn't an issue. More recently, he's been tall enough that his knees sit a the edge of the seat and his feet are below the seat in front of him. However, when he was about 4 we flew to Canada. When my son climbed into his seat, and was geting settled his feet hit the seat in front of him. The lady turned around and yelled at him about how he better not kick or something. It was a total overeaction. Since I didn't want him to get yelled at again, we took off his shoes. Since his knees didn't reach the edge, and putting them out in front of him meant they'd touch the seat, I had him sit criss cross applesauce, but over time he'd slide down and probably 3 or 4 times during the 6 hour flight, he'd go to adjust himself back up, stretching out his legs scootching back and refolding them. A couple times (literally) his bare feet touched the seat in front of him, and she again turned around and yelled at him. It was totally inappropriate.

I should note that this was the last of the 4 flights that trip, and on the other 3 no one had commented. I don't actually remember him touching the seat, but I'm sure he did because the sliding down issue didn't happen just once. On the other flights he kept his shoes on and no one reacted at all.

So, while I agree that it's awful to let your child kick, and you need to take steps to stop it, I also think it's important to remember that in a crowded space things happen, and just like the guy next to you might fart unexpectedly and you deal because these things happen, there may be moments when good parents with good kids still touch the seat in front of them.

All right, all you hard-core "Don't let your child kick the seat in front" extremists. I need to know: What would you say in this situation to (a) the child (b) the mother and (c) the "victim."

(A) No. We don't kick the seat. Here are your stickers!
(B) Sounds like you're trying your best. Would you like a glass of wine?
(C) Ma'am, they're doing their best here. If you have any concerns, please direct them to the parent. Do not yell at my child again.

Hard core!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

No, but I cross my legs and move around more because I am tall (the person who is 5'6" that's not tall enough for you to feel it as much) and it is really uncomfortable to have someone fully recline in my seat. The result the person's seat in front of me gets jostled.

See, this passive-aggressive jostling, I do not get. Why not just say "excuse me -- with your seat reclined, you're really hurting me. Please move your seat up."

[Anonymous]

All the outrage here about reclining/not reclining is misdirected. The airlines have created this situation and they need to be the ones to fix it.

[Anonymous]

I fly, I recline. Reclining seats do not crush the person behind unless they have exceptionally long legs.

Most overnight flights I fly pretty much everyone reclines.

You folks are weird.

And if there is a kicker behind you, reclining actually reduces the kicking because it gives the little legs less space to swing and kick.

If someone asked me to not recline and had a legitimate reason I would likely only recline a little/or not at all, however if someone asked me to not recline because they have a personal opinion that reclining is wrong then I would ignore it.

People in front of me recline all the time. I can still watch TV, put down my tray and eat. reach down and get my purse, move my legs. Reclining doesn't in any way interfere. I mean it is economy seating, it is cramped. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

No, but I cross my legs and move around more because I am tall (the person who is 5'6" that's not tall enough for you to feel it as much) and it is really uncomfortable to have someone fully recline in my seat. The result the person's seat in front of me gets jostled.

See, this passive-aggressive jostling, I do not get. Why not just say "excuse me -- with your seat reclined, you're really hurting me. Please move your seat up."

Then they will say, "No." (cf: all of the adamant "I'm reclining my seat and screw whoever is behind me.") Then what?

[Anonymous]

The reclining posts are hijacking...I've started a new thread in off-topic:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/246983.page

[Anonymous]

hahahaha. You are trying to police thread drift in dcum? good luck.

Do you all not CHECK BEHIND YOU to see if the person sitting there is six feet tall before you recline? Or hell, to see if they have their tray table up and that you aren't going to dump coffee in their lap?

I always do, because I am six feet tall. If you recline, you'll probably feel me hitting the back of your seat--not because I'm kicking you, but because that's the only way I can MOVE MY LEGS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for all the anti-recliners: if the person in front of you reclines all the way, do you then recline in reaction?

No, but I cross my legs and move around more because I am tall (the person who is 5'6" that's not tall enough for you to feel it as much) and it is really uncomfortable to have someone fully recline in my seat. The result the person's seat in front of me gets jostled.

See, this passive-aggressive jostling, I do not get. Why not just say "excuse me -- with your seat reclined, you're really hurting me. Please move your seat up."

Then they will say, "No." (cf: all of the adamant "I'm reclining my seat and screw whoever is behind me.") Then what?

Then that sucks for me. I cannot control the actions of others. And I'm not going to descend into a passive-aggressive temper tantrum just because someone else is being rude.

[Anonymous]

See, me, I don't have a problem with kids. I've had a couple of kickers behind me, but if I take about 5-10 minutes to play peekaboo, make faces and games (I've played I Spy with some 3-5 year olds, just pick easier things for younger kids), then I find I get the rest of the trip without kicks. I've only occasionally had to "refresh" my games another hour or two into the flight.

Adults who complain about seat backs, or kick my seats are another issue. I'll ask them once to please stop kicking my seat. If they don't stop, I call the flight attendant. If they still don't, they may end up with my drink in their lap. That way, we can both be uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Is this a real question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a real question?

It is. But not very appropriate

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'1. Recline your seat all you want. I got leg space for miiiiiiiiles.

Anytime I've flown with my daughter, I've called the airline immediately after booking and asked if there's bulkhead seats available. These are invaluable because there's nobody in front of them for them to kick!