I would take this post with a pinch of salt.
For what ever reason, Miche2 seems to pop up in most threads involving BA cabin crew to compare how crap we (and the job) are today, compared with her era. (do a search)
I think I must 'have attitude' because I don't really see anything wrong with asking a passenger to wait a few minutes until you finish clearing trays in before getting her/his kid a can of coke.
At the end of the day, at the arse end of a jumbo there is only 7 of us for 280-ish passengers. Do you leave 20 passengers with dirty trays in front of them or do you ask the kid to wait a couple minutes til you finish and bring them another coke (or in most BA crews case we would bring him/her another two).
As they drill in to your head in Cust service training, it's not so much what you say, but how you say it. You can still come accross as being very polite and professional by asking someone to wait a few minutes, or a complete ar=ehole.
PS. I love my job.