Told that children are not welcome, do you sigh with relief?  I tend to sigh with sadness, for it strikes me as an eternal truth that people who welcome little ones are more likely to welcome you. They are more easy-going, more at ease with themselves and more likely to go extra miles for you all.

Nancy Mitford’s views on children are thus: ‘I love children, especially when they cry and someone takes them away.' And someone called Leo Rosten memorably wrote: 'Anybody who hates dogs and babies can't be bad.' He would be lynched today.