Originally Posted by
Antipode
In the case of an emergency, which is going to be on your mind:
1) fulfilling exit row duties and getting passengers out safely
2) taking care of your children who are sitting in front of/behind you.
I can't remember if there is an FAA rule or not, but you're lucky you haven't been denied before, and I side with the agent on this one.
I seem to recall reading that there is a rule against what the OP was doing. Not positive about which airline (or blanket FAA rule) but this does sound familiar.