Originally Posted by RachelG
There is certainly no rule that you can't sit in an exit row if you have a child on the flight. The problem is that you won't be able to prebook if if you are on the same PNR (as noted above). In fact, I have had a GA ask me if I would be willing to split up from my kids and sit in the exit row on 2 occasions. Of course, I said fine, but my kids were seasoned travellers and knew if there was any misbehavior, they would be dead meat.
Actually, the FAA rules on exit row qualification do disqualify any passenger who is responsible for the welfare of other family members (like children under 15). I'm too lazy to link the FAR but someone else probably isn't so lazy.
The rules say that it's a no-no. You can probably get away with one parent sitting in an exit row while the other parent sits with the kids. But both parents?
Attempting to circumvent this rule is, as pointed out above, fraught with danger that the FA will catch on and move you to a nonexit row (AA's version of E-). FAs aren't stupid - they'll likely spot discussions that will inevitably occur between parents and children who are splitting up after they board.