I have been that parent 20+ years flying Chicago - Heathrow in Y overnight with my then 6 months old daughter who just would not stop crying. My wife had stayed in the US so it was just me and I spend the whole flight walking around or trying to calm her down but nothing would work. I then had to train it to (far) East London from Heathrow and ended up passing out fully clothed on my own flat bed with my baby next to me. Having gone through this myself I have full sympathy with any parent in that situation. I find that a degree of tolerance towards other creatures of any age helps getting through life a little happier.

This thread did make me think of a scenario - albeit not commercially viable, or safety wise - of airlines having dedicated family flights on routes to places like Orlando which are dedicated to children in decor and entertainment. This is not meant to be a mandatory solution of course, just an added option for families, like the Hello Kitty train or the Disney cruise.

As for the OP and any likeminded I suggest prioritising flights that are outside of their own sleeping hours whenever possible, eg daytime return from NYC rather than overnight. Appreciate that’s not always possible.