BP Totty, while I understand and applaud your idealism, in the real world bringing noisy kids to shul is not only a distraction, but is counterproductive. With people trying to have extra kavanah during the Y”N, this not only does not allow them to focus on their davening, it causes them to be annoyed and frustrated with the kids, and that surely is NOT a good thing when we are trying to get into a different sort of mindset.
The problem also is that parents who bring their kids DO NOT DISCIPLINE THEM. They make themselves nisht vissendik to the noise their children are making. That is patently wrong and unfair to the oilem. BTW, you knwo what is really annoying? When kids have all that nosh you mentioned, with them on Yom Kippur, and are rustling the plastic bags, tearing open the potato chips, and chomping noisily while the rest of us are fasting. Sorry, but you do not get my vote on this one, though I appreciate your wisdom and clarity most of the time. Have a k’siva v’chasima tova.