but I'm asking if would you feel the need to ask parents if they mind you sitting next to their children, if you were female?
Sorry if I missed your point then, but the answer to your question is yes, I would. I would try to reseat so that the parents and children were as close to each other as possible. I just asked my wife and she said she would do the same automatically, and indeed we've done it when the situation has arisen. Of course some parents prefer not to sit next to their own children!