Originally Posted by
Bowgie
OP, put your toddler son in row 2 Take your assigned seat in row 1.
One of two things will happen:
1. You son can see you in the row ahead, be reassured, and behave well.
2. Son pitches a fit, and Mr. Rude will change his mind and swap seats.
If Mr Rude gives you any 'tude, you can tell him to STFU.
I forgot to add a title: "Call his bluff"
If he'd been polite, or even just terse, I wouldn't. But if someone wants to have a little hissy fit about his opinion about who should be allowed to travel how, he can spend his trip next to the 2 year old, since he's acting like one.