The no-kids-allowed movement is spreading

Shine via Yahoo! ^ | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 | Piper Weiss

[Slings and Arrows]

What's the matter with kids today and why doesn't anyone want them around? In June, Malaysia Airlines banned babies from many of their first class cabins, prompting other major airlines to consider similar policies.

-snip-

Earlier this month, McDain's, a Pittsburgh area restaurant that banned kids under 6 became a mascot for the no-kids-zone movement.

According to a Pittsburgh local news poll, more than half of area residents were in favor of the ban. And now big business is paying attention.

"Brat bans could well be the next frontier in destination and leisure-product marketing," writes Robert Klara in an article on the child-free trend in AdWeek.

Klara points to Leavethembehind.com, a travel website for kid-free vacations, with a massive list of yoga retreats, luxury resorts and bargain hotels around the world that ban children.

[thefactor]

Here's the problem: While your kids may be perfect little angels when out in public, others are not.

In school, you have to teach to the dumbest kid and the smart ones suffer for it.

In the military, you have to train to the slowest and dumbest soldier and the smart, in shape guys suffer for it.

In government, you have to legislate to the lowest of the low who commit crimes so the law-abiding suffer for it.

And in public, you have to make rules for the worst parents who choose not to control their kids and the good parents suffer for it.

[Churchillspirit]

As a store owner I frequently have to resist the desire to smack some rude kids who have no idea how to behave in public.

My consolation is that while they might be in my store for a few minutes, the parents are stuck with them for years.

[bmwcyle]

Parents today let their kids run wild.

[CodeToad]

“...socialization has nothing to do with it. Parenting has everything to do w/ it tho. It never takes a village”

I wasn’t talking about a village. If you want to teach your child about how to behave and act in public obviously it start at home, but the kid still needs practice in public. That was my point. It is why we take kids to various scoial settings, to teach them how to interact with people.

So far the most kids get beyond school time is a playground at McDonalds or a soccer field.

[netmilsmom]

OMG! Have you asked the mom how long she plans to wipe his butt?

[Sonny M]

I’m all for the no babies in First or Business Class, but the ban at restaurants in unnecessary as you can avoid kids by dining at restaurants that would not attract people who drag their kids along.

No chance, I've been to some of the best restaurants in New York City, and have seen countless parents bring their kids in, and watch it turn into chaos and mayhem.

Keep in mind, the food or cuisine at these places is not remotely kid friendly, so the parents are absolute idiots for bringing them in the first place, since the kids don't want anything on the menu, and the kitchen isn't going to make anything special for them. Bizarrely, this doesn't stop parents from bringing the kids anyway.

Worse yet, in New York, where it is illegal to have minors in a bar, some parents will still try and bring their kids and will fight over this with the establishment, its lunacy. I think the problem today is, parents who think the world revolves around their children and that everyone should roll out the red carpet for their kids, no matter the place or establishment.

Keep in mind, I am not anti-child, if I go to a restaurant and there is a kids menu, that to me, means its a appropriate for children to be there, as its a family establishment, but these are parents who are bringing their kids to places where there is nothing on the menu that the little tykes would want.

[5thGenTexan]

The problem with kids today is, in many cases, the parents.

Too many people are trying to be their kids' friends and not parents. It was bad as I was raising mine (and the source of many a confrontation with my kids on why I was not like those other parents); I bet it is only getting worse.

[Rockingham]

Let’s also spend the country into bankruptcy to pay for our Medicare and Social Security. That will fix the little *&%$#@s!

[Kenton]

We, the mere “breeders”, need backing, not disparaging.

It's not about kids, it's about indulgent parents who raise feral brats and are so wrapped up in themselves that they expect other paying customers to suffer in silence while their poorly raised children run wild in an expensive restaurant.

Of course, I'm sure that doesn't describe yours.

If someone's parenting skills are so non-existent that they can't raise their kids to behave properly in nice places where people pay big bucks for a quality dining experience, there's always Chucky Cheese and Mickey D's.

[Slings and Arrows]

OK, I made this up,

You sure? ;^)

[jdub]

Brat bans could well be the next frontier in destination and leisure-product marketing

If we want to go to a beach resort, my wife and I go to either Sandals' or Couples' resorts, which do not allow children. Another we frequent is the Hilton in Key Largo, which has an adult only pool. I not only want peace and quiet but don't want to worry about what is in the pool water.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I support the right of business to be child-free however it would not affect my doing business with them either way.

I live in a odd area of the world because I rarely see a out-of-control kids. There was a little tike running around last Saturday between the tables at the ice cream shop. He made a half a round before dad caught him up and said in a low but firm voice, "ok, that's enough bud. We don't do that here."

Kid went and sat down and ate his ice cream.

Those kinds of kids I have no problem with.

I think if I ran into some of the horror stories other people do I would have a different opinion.

[xsrdx]

I can understand the desire to be in a quiet, brat free environment, but this ban on children in certain places is an alarming warning signal of the condition of our culture and society.

Immigrants and the poor don't share the selfish "me first" perspective of the privileged and growing "child-free" culture.

That's not good news for anybody, but that's the direction we're headed.

[brityank]

Thank you, Dr. Spock, and the Montessori Method! Both of them helped set child-rearing back to neanderthal days. Kids are not “Buddies”, nor are parents “Friends”, and the lawyers who push those attributes for their clients are the enemy!

[netmilsmom]

>>If old farts want my kids’ social security contribution they should stop whining about the mere presence of children<<

I think you’re being a bit dramatic.
I have NO problem with child-free establishments and I’ve raised four kids.

No one is going to be whining about the mere presence of your children unless your children don’t know how to behave and you do nothing about it.

I’d rather take my kids where they are going to learn HOW to behave. Dennys or Big Boy are perfect for little kids. You want to go to a fine restaurant when you have toddlers? Get a sitter. Same with movie theaters unless the movie is rated G.

[5thGenTexan]

I think parents are held hostage by their kids, and are terrified of them.

Kids aren't born this way; they are made this way by the parents.

[LizardQueen]

>The problem is not the children but the parents who allow them to run wild and infringe on the rights of others.

+1.

I don’t have kids (couldn’t, long story) but have no problem with well behaved kids around and even don’t mind when a kid has a temporary fit as long as the parents try to firmly address it. They’re kids and human and won’t always be perfect, I know that.

But there are WAY too many spoiled brats out there whose parents think the sun rises and sets out of their backsides. They are obnoxious and the parents get all huffy and act just as badly if you ask them to try to control their child.

[Puppage]

That said, considering parents are too lazy to discipline their children anymore

I don't think it's laziness. I think it's more that parents want to be their kids friends.

My Dad is one of my best friends.......I am 49 and it wasn't until I was well into my 30's that it became so.

[Responsibility2nd]

OK, so I had to look up the real bio.

 

Form your own conclusions. Looks to me as if we were all right.

 

How very "cool" of her to think that dads are cool. How so progressive. 

 

 

 

Piper Weiss

 

Oh, hello. I'm a Senior Features Editor at Shine. My writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, on VH1's BestWeekEver.tv, Glamour, McSweeney's Internet Tendency and New York Magazine. I'm obsessed with cults, cats, Alan Alda, Men Who Look Like Zach Braff, and this video of Elvis.

Born and raised in Manhattan, I currently live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. In the past year, I helped co-write a comedy on a New York tour-bus, played a disturbed young mother in an award-winning movie called "Without" and launched a column in the back page of Lucky Magazine based on this here blog. With the help of over 100 moms and their kids, I also put together a book version of the site called My Mom Style Icon, in stores May 1, 2011. I also think dads are cool.

Read more...

[dfwgator]

“My name is Jeffrey and I’m 4 years old”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0cYJUqJys