We always traveled with our 3 kids from the day they were born. So they were used to it, and rarely gave us any problems. When they were babies they would fall asleep as soon as the plane took off, or as soon as our car got on the road. As they got a little older, they were able to feet themselves, etc., they LOVED the airline food. That was back when you always got a meal. They took their coloring books, and drawing materials, and as they got older they took their video games, later I-Pods, etc. So I had no idea how blessed and lucky we were and are! They are all adults now. We HAD to fly a lot because we had out house south of Houston Texas, our house in San Marino California, and the grandparents in Oklahoma & Colorado. We flew a lot back and forth, and our kids always thought it was fun! The kids were pre-school thru early elementary school.
But I flew on Continental one time when the three people behind me were not pleasant to say the least. It was a young woman, and with her was a young retarded woman and her son. The son screamed and cried and kicked the back of my seat, the whole three hour flight from L A to Houston. I asked for ear phones. Back then you had to pay $5 for them. They refused to let me have any. At that time you had to have a coupon for them. I didn’t have an I-Pod or ear plugs with me. Now I have Bose Noise Cancelling Ear phones. Life is good.
WTF
I soon realized that these two next to me would be high maintenance to say the least. Getting them to turn off their gameboys before takeoff, ordering them drinks, helping them with their seat back TVs. I basically became their guardian for the entire flight.
When I went to the bathroom the grandma informed me that one of the kids was ADHD/Hyperactive. Gee, thanks a lot.