Reply #90: Here are my comments

[LWolf]

from a recent thread:

On one hand, I relate. I really do. I like kids well enough, but after spending my working life taking care of large numbers of other people's kids, I like to be kid free after work and on weekends when possible.

I have been on planes, in restaurants, movies, and other public places where kids' behavior er...detracted from the quality of the experience. Of course, part of that is a parental fault. I don't know how to legislate good parenting, though.

One of the things that used to really piss me off was finding kids in the bar section of restaurants. Damn. If I wanted to be where the kids were, I wouldn't have chosen a seat in the bar.

I also see this as a sort of back-handed recognition that a life can be full and fulfilling without children. Maybe a first step towards zero population growth, the most effective, imo, method of returning health to the planet.

Still...there's nothing inherently wrong with kids. They are naturally energetic, loud, impulsive, and less aware of others around them. That gradually changes as they grow. It's a healthy thing for people to include kids in real life, too. People who don't like to be around kids shouldn't be having them, imo. That right there would help with that zero population growth goal. Those that do should be able to include kids in normal community/society life. I don't think we need to separate them like pets or zoo animals until we've civilized them, lol.

Fewer kids...I think that's the answer. Instead of creating more "kid-free" zones, just create fewer kids. If there were fewer kids, they'd be more valued in their cultures/communities, they'd get more adult attention and therefore learn how to interact in mixed age groups sooner. Their language development, intellectual development, social and practical skills would be better developed. There would be fewer to overrun the beach, the bar, etc.. They are a natural part of the "village" when they don't overpopulate it.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1336597#1337143