Positive Parenting: The 'No Kids Allowed' Movement

Sitting at my desk trying to get through the heat wave that blanketed the area this past weekend, I noticed something very peculiar in an e-mail—“no kids allowed.”

Had curiosity not have consumed me, I probably would not have opened up the message. To my chagrin, the words seemed to jump off of the page, boisterously describing a movement that is quickly gaining momentum across the country. What started with a Malaysian Airline is now at high speed, blazing across the intercontinental waters into my country “tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.”

Restaurants and movie theaters here in America are proudly jumping onto the “no kids allowed” bandwagon in fervid attempts to reel in customers and money. 

My philosophy is that there are three sides to a story (hers, his and the truth), and quite often that can be true of any issue, especially one like this. On one side, there are the businesses who believe that a “ban on children under 6” at their casual establishments will satisfy their target clientele who are sick of hearing screaming babies, which, in their eyes, may boost sales.

On the other side, there are parents who enjoy taking their kids to casual dining establishments or even to the movies just to get them acclimated to new environments such as movie theaters, airplanes, restaurants and fun outings.

Then there is the truth of the matter and how it can inevitably impact families nationwide.

Parents like you and I try so hard to do right by our kids, and now places are looking toward discriminatory practices in order to prevent children from traveling. Is it even possible to stay positive in a situation like this?

Absolutely. There is a light at the end of every tunnel. As parents, we have power in numbers. Who do you think spends the most at supermarkets, movie theaters, retail stores, vacations and a heap of other places and things? Parents do. With that in mind, realize that this “no kids allowed" movement is only temporary, because no business would ever want to lose the money that families spend annually on their products. 

Use this time and especially the moniker of the “movement” as a teaching tool for your kids to show them what it means when people live in anger and fear and why the promoters of a “no kid ban” are prime examples of how people should not be acting, because it supports discrimination.

But at the same time, also teach your kids about the boundary line between good and bad behavior, whether it's in a public or private place. Stress that there is no difference between a child having a tantrum and an adult having a tantrum.

Also, learn how to wield your parenting power. If a place does not want children there, then they obviously do not want your money, so support family-friendly places that realize that a world without children is completely lost. 

The bottom line is that many of these businesses do not throw out adults for having a tantrum (inappropriate behavior, loud talking, swearing, screaming or yelling), so why would they do this to a child?