Originally Posted by PVDProf

My worst flight with either of my children was when Master PVDProf was a toddler, flying as a lap child and we were op-up'd to C (recliners). The huge amount of space in front of us meant he wanted down to explore, but that wasn't possible because either the seatbelt sign was on or he was pulling at the life vest. We thought the upgrade would make for a fun flight, but it was quite the opposite: we were not able to enjoy the C service at all.

IAH-SFO is a pretty short flight and a significant fraction of the time will be time with the seatbelt sign on (taxi, climb, descent). On these trips, I try to find the most comforting way to restrain the kid and to minimize overstimulation. For my kids, a window economy seat and the familiarity of the car seat were most effective. Bring lots of books and small snacks that take lots of time to eat. As a parent, the pleasantness of the trip depends more on the contentedness of the kids than my own space.