A woman has gone viral after advocating for more child-free spaces -- not because she dislikes children, but because of parents who she says fail to take responsibility for their kids in public.
Dominique Bird (@aussiedomxo), 31, from Austin, Texas, shared a now-viral TikTok recounting a recent experience at a local bakery where she was enjoying high tea with friends. During her visit, a couple entered with a young child who vomited not once, but twice. According to Bird, the parents made no effort to clean up the mess, leaving it entirely to the staff.
"Anyway, I just thought it was gross," Bird told Newsweek.
"This experience didn't ruin my day or anything like that, so I do not think kids shouldn't be allowed in public spaces! My point of the video was that kids are usually not at fault; it's parents acting poorly in public that leads to people wanting spaces with fewer children," she added.
Bird's video resonated widely, drawing thousands of likes and views. But the attention also reignited ongoing conversations around parenting, child-free lifestyles, and public etiquette.
Bird, who worked in childcare from a young age, has long known that motherhood wasn't for her. She told Newsweek that while she believes she would have been "a good mother," she would not have been "a happy one." She credits her parents with raising her to be academically driven and career-focused, values she feels are often at odds with parenthood in the United States.
She said that the lack of parental support systems in the country played a major role in her decision. Living in Texas -- where reproductive healthcare access is increasingly restricted -- Bird decided to undergo a bilateral salpingectomy, a surgical procedure that removes both fallopian tubes and results in permanent sterilization.
"After [Donald Trump's] inauguration, I decided to take that step to protect myself in the case I couldn't get the healthcare I needed in the future," she said.
Bird clarified that while she's not a parent, she believes in basic decency in shared public spaces.
"If my dog were to be in a business and had an accident, I would clean it up as best I could, even if staff would be required to follow specific cleaning procedures for biohazards, etc. If I spill my drink, I'm going to try and clean it up as best as possible. No one wants their child to be sick, but at the same time, no one wants to eat food in the vicinity of vomit, regardless of where it came from," she added.
Her video drew a mixed response. Many parents expressed agreement, noting that not all adult spaces should be limited to bars or nightlife. Other parents agreed with Bird that it was wrong for the caregivers to not clean up.
"Then you have the staunch child-free people who don't want to be around children ever -- let me make it clear, I'm not in that camp," she added.
"While I choose not to have children myself, children have a place in our world, but their parents should also consider the experience of those around them if their child is sick or being disruptive," she continued.
"I stand by what I said in the video -- poor parenting and lack of common courtesy in public with children is what tends to make people want child-free spaces," she said.
Bird is one of a growing number of U.S. adults opting out of parenthood. The U.S. fertility rate reached an all-time low in 2023. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report, with 47% of U.S. adults under 50 without children say they are unlikely to ever have kids -- an increase from 37% in 2018.
The TikTok comments reflected a spectrum of views:
"We need more child-free places that aren't alcohol related," said one user, GG.
"I want child-free spaces the same way I want dog-free spaces. Has nothing to do with hatred toward either & everything to do with how badly both groups of handlers behave," another wrote.
"You are entitled to a childfree life but not a childfree world," said a commenter named Tiffany.
"YES also congratulations on your sterilization you're living my dream it's my biggest fear," added another.
"CHILDFREE areas / towns to live in, that would be damn blissful," one viewer commented.
Not all reactions were supportive. Some parents defended those in the viral bakery incident.
"My child got sick in public and it's so scary and honestly, the nice bakery would be the last thing on their mind. Maybe one went to get the car to go to the ER, maybe the kid had an allergic reaction to meds or food," commented a user named Linsey Jean. "I doubt it was to be horribly rude and they are probably scared and embarrassed. But you are child free so you know more I guess -- how about less judgment, more understanding?"