No Kids Allowed

I wanted to repost this article I read online to discuss it.
Original publishing on shine.yahoo.com
by Piper Weiss, Shine Staff
July 26, 2011.


The no-kids-allowed movement is spreading


"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.

Lately, complaints about screaming kids are being taken seriously, not only by airlines, but by hotels, movie theaters, restaurants, and even grocery stores.
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.

"Call me a grinch, a misanthrope, a DINK (dual-income-no-kids), or the anti-cute-police, but I hate (hate a thousand times over) ill-behaved children/infants/screaming banshees in upscale restaurants (ok, anywhere, really, but I don’t want any death threats)," writes Charlotte Savino on Travel and Leisure's blog. She lists a slew of a popular destination restaurants with kid-free areas and policies for travelers looking for quiet vacation dining.

Traveling is one thing, but what about in kids' own hometowns? Should kids been banned from local movie theaters, like they were at a recent adults-only Harry Potter screening? In Texas, one cinema chain has even flipped the model, banning kids under six altogether, except on specified "baby days".

Even running errands with toddlers may be changing.  This summer Whole Foods stores in Missouri are offering child-free shopping hours (kids are allowed inside but childcare service is available for parents who want to shop kid-free.) Meanwhile in Florida, a controversy brews over whether kids can be banned from a condominium's outdoor area. That's right, some people don't even want kids outdoors.

When did kids become the equivalent of second-hand smoke? Blame a wave of childless adults with money to spare. "Empty nesters continue to wield a huge swath of discretionary spending dollars, and population dips in first-world countries mean more childless couples than ever," writes AdWeek's Klara.

Catering to the child-free community may be good for business but is it good for parents? It could help narrow choices and make kid-friendly environments even kid-friendlier.  And let's be honest, babies won't miss flying first class. They won't even remember it. But their moms and dads will.

Most parents with young children have self-imposed limits on spending and leisure. This new movement imposes limits set by the public. And the public isn't as child-friendly as it used to be.  As businesses respond to their new breed of 'first-class' clientele, are parents in danger of becoming second-class citizens?"
End of article
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My soapbox moment -
I personally love this new information I'm hearing about banned children.
There's nothing worse than being stuck on a long flight with a headache and having some screaming ill-mannered baby or child behind you kicking your seat, throwing a fit, or crying the entire time.  You're either not supposed to do anything and let the flight crew take care of it (yeah, sure), or you say something to the parent and look like an asshole for saying something, since "kids will be kids, she/he's teething/sick, we couldn't get a sitter" whatever.

Just because everyone else on the planet wants to have children and thinks they have beautiful angels spewing from their loins doesn't mean I have to enjoy kids around me.

I enjoy going to the movies, but not hearing children yell out in the middle of the film at the top of their lungs, "Who's that? What's that? NO!  Bottle, bottle, bottle!  Candy!" etc.  I want to be in a quiet dark theater so I can enjoy the $10.00 movie I just paid for.
 
I'm not sure what the obsession is with having kids.  I've never saw the need to, and still don't at 33.  It's estimated that in October of this year the 7 billionth person will be born in India.  The Earth is in a fragile state right now, and I'm not sure it can withstand more people demanding resources from it.

My friends and acquaintances that don't want kids, have all shared our horror stories of how society has tried to tell us we're are wrong.  "When the right one comes along, you'll feel different" "You don't want kids?  Can you not have any of your own? Do you want to adopt them?  What's wrong with you?  You'll change your mind."
I am fully capable of having children.  I would be a great parent, and loving mother.  Yes all of those statements are true, but it would not make me feel fulfilled as a human being or happy to have one.  I am a complete person, right now, as I stand, without children.  Most importantly I do not want a child.  I don't need to have a child.  I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

I am fulfilled.  I am happy.  I'm not missing out on any experiences I want to have.  I think it's ridiculous how firm I have to be speaking with people about what I know I want.  I can't count how many conversations I've had where the other person's trying to convince me I don't know what I want - that somehow I really do want kids.

In fact, if I did have a child, I wouldn't be able to do the things I now enjoy....like have sex whenever I want, or sleeping.  Like dropping everything and leaving the house to go shopping with friends, or taking a month long vacation.  I don't need to worry about babysitters, childcare and losing the babyfat, affording college, or letting them borrow my new car.

Very few people accept that I don't want kids.  My parents do thankfully.  Most of my friends do, but not all.  I think it's the last thing in society that a person can be persecuted for.  If you want a child-free existence be prepared to defend your own personal choice to 99% of all people because they will all try to convince you, that's not what you want.
I'm pretty sure that this post is going to infuriate some people.  I can't help how I feel.  I don't apologize to society for being myself, or being different.  I'm not being selfish, or close minded, I'm not going to change my mind when the right guy comes along.  I'm now at the stage in my life that it is becoming unsafe to my health and any unborn child's health to have a child.  The older you get, the more risk you take on getting pregnant.  I realize that soon, I will be past my own personal time limit for having a child.  I am ok with this.  I have not yet found mr. right, nor am I sure, I will ever find him.  But, if I do someday, we will have to agree to both not want children, or he's not my mr. right.