The world, it seems, is turning against children. Supermarkets, theaters, restaurants and resorts all over the globe are adopting child-free policies prohibiting kids from entering their premises at certain—and, in some cases, all—hours of day. There has even been a call for child-free flights and designated family sections on planes.

The trend has not yet hit Beijing, and I’m hoping it never does. However, I do understand where the sentiment is coming from.

Before my children were born, I remember having dinner at a restaurant with friends in Edinburgh who allowed their kids to weave in out of tables disturbing other diners. I was mortified.

I also recall an occasion aboard a plane when the child behind me spent the entire flight alternating between kicking the seatback and running up and down the aisle. The parents were completely unbothered and unapologetic for the distraction their child caused—to my horror.

However, not all parents are like this. There are those of us who understand the importance of boundaries.

When my husband and I first began to venture out to restaurants with our son, we made a point of explaining what constituted acceptable behavior. This meant remaining seated at all times and always using his “inside voice.” I’ll admit that initially things didn’t go so well, and on several occasions we had to leave the restaurant mid-meal as our son refused to co-operate. Eventually however, he learned that by following our simple guidelines, we could all enjoy a family meal together and, most importantly, he would get to stay for dessert.

Kate Schwartz, a teacher at 3e International School, grew up helping her parents run their restaurant in Michigan, USA, and explains why it’s important children keep up the good behavior when in restaurants: “As servers, it’s our responsibility to ensure that all of our customers have a pleasant dining experience, which is difficult if there are children running about. Plus it isn’t safe to have children in the aisles when there are hot food and hot drinks around.”

If we parents can all do our part, then hopefully we can turn the tables on the child-free movement and get people to focus on ill-mannered adults instead.

What's your take on the child-free trend?