No Cry Babies Allowed

Recently, I've seen a number of businesses who are fed up with children, primarily children of the noisy kind.  So, they've decided they are no longer allowing children in.  A restaurant in Monroeville, PA called McDain's Restaurant is no longer admitting children under six years of age.  They feel that McDain's is not a place for young children because their volume can't be controlled and they disturb other customers.  And the owner is not making any exceptions to this new policy.  Malaysia Airlines also announced they would no longer allow babies to fly in their first class cabins on Boeing 747-400s and Airbus A380s, which comes after complaints by first class passengers. 

Now, let's get something straight, I can see both sides--the child and parent vs. the other customers.  I was once childless and have witnessed children's tantrums in public places, and it did disturb me, especially on longer flights.  I tended to feel really bad for the parents,  but also bad for myself when I couldn't catch some sleep on a red-eye.  Now I have a child, and as well-behaved as she typically is from day to day, she can also be loud, especially now as she's trying to communicate with us in a gibberish-like language.  If other customers are getting irritated, just imagine the headaches we as parents are experiencing?! 

My vote is for no extreme policies.  The simple answer is to do your best and to do unto others as you'd have done to you.  Of course not all situations are simple, and not everything is within your control.  Franky, I'd like to see a policy set that eliminates from public establishments all obnoxious, loud people, blowing cigarette smoke directly into my family's face, but that's just not going to happen, especially if we're seated outside.  If your child is "having a moment" as I like to put it, try not to let him/her ruin the experience for everyone else.  Put down your fork and take him/her outside the restaurant, take a stroll down the aisle and into the bathroom on the plane, find the pacifier, give him/her a bottle, make silly faces, hold him/her closer, etc.  I know, you already tried these things and they didn't work and the child's "moment"  is turning into a full-blown freakout (been there, done that).  If you're a business owner or a customer and you're being disturbed, why not ask politely if you can help the parent (it's not always easy to grab the diaper out of the bag when you're holding the flailing child), or if he/she wouldn't mind taking the child outside until the child is calmer (no, they can't step out on the wing of the plane, despite your desire for them to do so)?  Your request may be met with resistance, but what if it isn't and you really are helping someone out (and in turn helping yourself and others)?

Are these "child-free" initiatives a form of discrimination?  You be the judge.  If you don't agree with these businesses new policies, don't be a customer of theirs.  If you're a fan of child-free environments, become a customer and enjoy the benefits.  If you choose to go into public, you risk noise, smells and a plethora of other unpleasant experiences, in child-free or not environments.  After reading about these policies, I can't help but wonder...don't businesses and consumers have bigger battles to fight in this country?  I wish noisy babies were our biggest problem!