My girls are now 8 and 5, but have been flying trans-atlantic and transcon since they were 3 months old.

In many ways, flying in J (on D rewards in my case) is easier with kids than in cattle class. You have the lounge before the flight, so they tend to be calmer when they get on the plane and there is more space in J so you get less of the "hey, she's hanging over my seat" type of stuff. Our last trip to the UK (summer 2004) was on a 333 and the AVOD was a big hit. Our trip this year will be on a BA 777 (and a 747 on the return) in J, so the little rug rats will be getting spoiled again.

Before I had kids I used to tut-tut when kids got a bit loud etc. I couldn't distinguish very well between kids who were genuinely distressed (pressure changes etc) and those whose parents weren't making enough of an attempt to entertain them. Now, after 8 years of hands-on experience, if I see parents making a good attempt to control little Johnny then I will cut them a little slack. I have very little time for parents who let their kids treat the cabin (whether Y or J) as their rec (or should I say "wreck") room. If you are travelling with kids (particularly of the toddler variety) it is incumbent upon you to bring sufficient kiddie food and distractions to keep the little monsters entertained (as best as that can be accomplished).

I would also have to agree with other posters that, far and away, the people who are the biggest pains in the a$$ on a plane tend to be 42, not 2, but whose egos haven't yet caught up with their chronological age.....