Here is an interesting thread to follow. According to a trend I've been dutifully keeping an eye on, it seems as though children are quietly being banned from certain venues. First, Malaysia Airlines refused children access to first-class cabins. Then, a few restaurants across the United States followed suit. Now, a selection of budget airlines around the world has announced child-free flights. When I first learned of this, I was quietly perplexed: "Really? They can do that?"

Then I got thinking, what would life really be like if you had a choice, whether or not you wanted to be exposed to children? I couldn't help but be reminded of my honeymoon to Australia with my wife, Ashley. After months of saving and meticulous preparation, we boarded our flight in Chicago. For the short trip to Los Angeles we were, as always, seated in the vicinity of small children. Just like mosquitoes in summer, little kids and squealing infants seem to be drawn to us.

In Los Angeles, we boarded the big bird that would take us across the Pacific. I walked down the aisle, Ashley following suit. Almost immediately I spotted two youngsters, restless and hitting each other with pillows. At least they were grade-school age, and thus, controllable. If that's as bad as it gets, this should be a good flight. Sure enough, a little closer to my seat I saw a much younger child, with a stroller strapped to the bulkhead. Great, there's bound to be crying.

At least we were getting closer to our seats, but wait. A few rows ahead of ours, two parents were tending to an infant wrapped in a blanket. The pressure change alone is going to set off this time bomb. Literally, this is what happened next: I turned to my wife and whispered, "Perfect, I'll probably be seated next to someone breastfeeding."

No sooner had the joke been made, I noticed a young mother, shirt pulled down, doing exactly that, seemingly oblivious to the strangers shuffling past. I grabbed my seat, made room for my wife and buried my head in a book. What could possibly be next: an in-flight birth?

The fact is, I am ecstatic at the thought of airlines and restaurants offering child-free services. On countless occasions I have been out with my wife, attempting to enjoy a nice meal. No matter the venue, lateness of the hour, or day of week, inevitably a child's high-pitched squeal will pervade the atmosphere. We used to laugh about it, and devised a drinking game: every time a baby cries in a restaurant, take a drink. Almost immediately, we realized there is not enough liquid on earth to sustain the game.

Don't get me wrong; I do not blindly dislike children. I have two nieces and three nephews, and am of the age where many of my friends are having kids of their own. I absolutely love being an uncle, and I am happy for my friends. Certainly, there are joys in life that are unique to those who have chosen to be parents, and I'm not here to try to take those away.

The simple fact is I do not have children, I do not want to be a father and I was fortunate enough to marry someone who feels exactly as I do. Not having children carries just as many benefits, if not more, than the alternative. I love coming home after a long day of work, knowing that the only interruption I will encounter will be the telephone (which I am happy to ignore). Not having kids means that I can do now, what most people would have to put off until retirement. Spontaneity is an additional bonus - just last week, Ashley and I made impromptu dinner plans. We ended up staying out until midnight, sipping wine and wondering how on earth Little League is being covered like an actual national sport. When we got home that night, just like every other night, we fell asleep knowing that nothing inside the house was about to start screaming. And I won't lie, the disposable income left over at the end of each month is an added bonus of child-free living.

Not having children is a beautiful thing, and I have not even scratched the surface. After all, listening to other parents has done more to convince us to remain child-free than anything else. On the social network Facebook, some mother-to-be is always posting her latest ultrasound pictures. More than once, a birthing mother fed Facebook regular updates of her dilations and contractions. Other parents enable such public grossness by complimenting with "like" comments. How revolting.

So, if certain airlines and restaurants are taking the unique initiative to ban young children from the premises, they should know that there are some of us who greatly appreciate the gesture. Actually, there are quite a few of us; 75 percent of those surveyed by the Sydney Morning Herald approved of the ban. But those of you who deem my child-free stance as insensitive should know that the most persuasive argument comes from parents themselves.

So often, I find myself in conversation with a father. He may be as young as I, or old enough to be my dad. He'll inevitably ask, "So are you and your wife serious about not having kids?" I'll reply affirmative, he'll mull it over, and respond...

"You know, if I had to do it all over again, I probably wouldn't have kids either."

- Dan Wegmueller of Monroe writes a column for the Times each Monday. He can be reached at dwegs@tds.net.