BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Is Child-Free travel too much to ask?

Hi Hippy Pie, I totally share your views. Air-travel with screaming kids on board is probably the worst, and even more so when it is a business trip, trying to catch up a few zzzz's during the flight, but you can't run away from it (unless you jump off the plane). Arrrgh! For movies, we stay away from family movies, and prefer to buy the DVD for comfort viewing at home. If we really want to see that family movie at the cinema, we always choose a very late show, one that normally past children's bedtime, i.e. 9/10 pm.

Oh, I saw young kids at the 10pm showing of Cabin in the Woods...

You are right child-free is a choice in most cases, as is having children.

That being said, as a parent, I can understand your frustration. It's not fun to have to take a cranky whiny child somewhere. I have to fly my special needs daughter to another state three times a year for court ordered visitation with her father. I book her flights during the day, make sure she has all sorts of goodies to eat, lots of stuff to do, and her favorite blanket. Even though she is now 13, she still has a blanket.

If my daughter does get disruptive in a public place, I have no issues with leaving and going home. I'm mean like that >:-) That only happens a few times and children learn quickly that if they want to go somewhere they have to behave. Of course, we can't leave an airplane, but she hasn't had any issues with flying.

I've been in a restaurant where there was a birthday party and the kids (who came in after I did) were sitting directly behind me. Now, I have nothing against a good time, but these kids were turning around and screaming in my ears. I was pregnant at the time and I ended up getting a bad headache and becoming nauseated. I turned around & said loudly, "Where are your parents?"

The adults there looked at me like I was green and I told them I was tired of those kids turning around and screaming in my ears, I now had a headache & felt very ill because they are poorly behaved. Needless to say, the adults in charge didn't like that.

I think I ended up throwing up my dinner shortly after.

Even parents want to go out to restaurants, movies, and travel without children. When I travel, I try to carry a few little things in case I end up near an unruly child - like a small flashlight, crayons, etc. Usually, the parent is very grateful for the help. They are usually worn down from traveling themselves and just don't have the energy to deal with their child.

On one flight, I sat next to a super cute boy and we played Angry Birds together. He had his dad's phone & I had my iPhone. We had a good time.

However, I am a huge advocate of traveling without your children if you can do it.

I do know there was a push to keep young children out of first class in airplanes. I have no issue with that. A child-free car on a train sounds nice. I bet parents traveling without kids would pay for that.

You have a choice. Charter a private jet.

Thank you!