<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by drtravels:
I would think the important thing would be being honest rather than doing or saying something that isn't true. I would suggest deception is a harmful example of remedy for a situation.</font>
FWIW, I do not agree that being honest is always the best response. For example, if your wife/significant other looks like crap in those stupid gym shoes she loves so much, and she asks you how she looks, you say, "Fine!"
Likewise, if a child's parent is aware that their child is kicking the back of the seat and that it's disturbing other passengers and they are still unwilling to chastise their child, the other passenger is not likely to try reasoning with a four year old. They are simply going to take whatever steps are necessary to effect a favorable outcome.
As I see it, children learn from this two things: 1) despite what their parents' actions say, if they refuse to behave in pulic, they risk being punished (short of corporal punishment, of course), if not by their parents, then by the people they are disturbing, because children are members of society just like adults, and may need to be disciplined; 2) lying/manipulation are sometimes the only effective strategies in some situations.
EDIT: An FA is supposed to take care of these situations, but they probably don't care what's going on, because they are not being subjected to this harassment. It's just easier for them to let the passengers work it out.
Furthermore, lest you think I am being too harsh, let me tell you, when I was a child, and I did something wrong, and the teacher scolded me, and my mother found out about it, she was very likely to take the teacher's side and let me take my lumps.
[This message has been edited by anonplz (edited 08-25-2002).]