Well, going on what the article says, I have little sympathy for the parents. AirTran is well rid of their business.
Take-off is not time to mess around, you know what I mean? And no, she shouldn’t be getting consoled on their lap, she should be buckled into her seat.
OTOH
It will be the absolute final minutes before take-off, and I’ll see lots of adult jerks messing around with their stuff at the last possible second, jumping up, determinedly scrambling to get something out of the overhead bins,etc. I truly have appreciated it when the flight attendents get on them about it, but have not ever seen anyone thrown off the plane.

I have a feeling there’s something else going on here that we don’t know about. . .   

I think sometimes the parents don’t respect the fact that their kid is annoying the crap out of other passengers.  But then again, sometimes passengers get pissed and have no tolerance for the idea that it’s a scared child with a mind of its own, and there isn’t a lot the parents can do.
 
However…
 

there is nothing more anoying then a child behind you kicking the back of your seat in a 5 hour trip……. its happend to me before and its hell.

 
Good, just cuz’ he’s young doesn’t give him an excuse to act like a twat

Today parents don’t know how to discipline their kids, all this P.C crap
about not giving kids a good hiding at an early age.. bollox!

In my day, if you played up and threw a tantrum you got the worst beating
of your life (worse than if you broke a window, trouble with the cops etc).

There was no way you’d throw one or you’d be given a real reason to bawl
and scream.

The administering of physical punishment should be done behind closed doors
and then there’s no need to chastise your kids in public, the deterrent should be
in place.

So true.  Giving a paddling was stopped in the public school system because a few teachers were taking advantage of the punishment.  If this was started again, the student would probably shoot the teacher. 

I am amazed that people do whatever they want to without penalty.

I say smack the kid. “Oh he’s not ready to sit down” Forget that! He’ll be read when I damn well say he is ready. I mean don’t leave bruises on the kid, but ther is nothing wrong with a good smack on the bum. My mom did it to me and I tured out just fine