> Are you aware that refusing to engage with children undergoing temper tantrums is a standard technique for avoiding having them become more intense? Yes, of

> Are you aware that refusing to engage with children undergoing temper tantrums is a standard technique for avoiding having them become more intense? Yes, of course. But I'm not talking about kids having temper tantrums, I'm talking about kids being obnoxious (i.e., the kid is clearly not in any distress, he's just being annoying), and where it's pretty clear the parent just thinks the kid is cute (when they're paying attention). I certainly feel for parents that are trapped in that environment with a kid who's frightened, and when that happens I just grit my teeth and wish them luck. Parents who simply don't feel the need to make even the slightest attempt to control their kid are an entirely differently story. There are tons of places where you can be indulgent with your kids and let them go wild—but a crowded trans-pacific flight is not one of them. [At least in this context, it usually seems to be a certain "type" of parent in my experience: conspicuously image conscious, wearing lots of brand goods, an "upwardly mobile" vibe (though not rich, as they're back in coach with me), giving off a certain sense of affectation...]