How wonderful when parents don't discipline their children and instead allow them to bother the passenger in front of him/her. If you say something, you typically get an arrogant person who thinks that their cute little "Merritt" can do no wrong and that it is you who needs to "lighten up". Besides, they paid for that child's seat so he/she wants to kick, so be it.
Oh there is a remedy to that. You might sneer but I have to tell you, this works. I've had the dubious honor of having such a delightful family behind me on a few rare occasions so when the parent feels that he or she should be treated like the Emperor of the World, I say "fine". Then I warn them that everytime his/her child kicks me, I will turn around and sneeze or cough over the child. I'll make up a white lie and say that I have some hideous cold and that each time I get kicked, my body reacts with either uncontrollable coughing or sneezing. If they give me a "who cares" look, well that's just fine. I'll do it then. The parent will then see (as will all the adults sitting nearby) that I mean business and will finally stop their little precious dear from being an annoyance.
Again, this rarely happens. Typically in my experience, parents are more than willing to stop their child from the endless kicking. They are usually very apologetic. Yet for those with holier than thou attitudes, the above works like a charm.
