Doesnt this become an unaccompanied minor situation anyway. The parent has left the child to fly without being with the child (which is the part that REPULSES me, forget the seat belt for a moment). What kind of mother would put her child on a plane seat and then walk away to her own row and sit down. The lack of concern blows me away. But anyway, once the child is left unaccompanied the FA's should have the ability to chose for the child to have it belted in!