I have an Aussicon membership form in front of me that states children 6-16 years $50, children under 6 free (must be accompanied by a paying adult.) I would say there is a pretty fair expectation by the convention organisers that children will be present, and that it is a pretty standard form of many cons. I think it is also an expectation of most con organisers that children may very well attend in some capacity, whether or not their specific con has children's rates, or children's programming. It *is* quite common to see some individual panels marked as adult content, and fair enough, but I can't think of a single SF convention that has been entirely adults only, and I have attended (and been on the committee for) many.
The question of whether con space is private or public is debatable and has come up before, but isn't worth getting into now.
My comment about people swearing was a touch facetious, but only to demonstrate a point. i find that there are a vocal minority who seem so offended by the presence of children that they think they should be banned from as many places as possible. It also seems to be some of these people who presume (incorrectly) that conventions are adults only spaces. What they wish and what actually is aren't necessarily the same thing. Now, not many things offend me, but gratuitous swearing is one of them. I cannot however, control the behaviour of other people beyond perhaps asking them to clean up their language if I feel brave enough (and even though the law would technically supposedly favour me in a public place, who is really going to go there?) I can only control what *I* do, and if I'm uncomfortable or don't want myself or my child to be exposed to X,Y or Z then I have the prerogative to remove myself from the situation. I cannot hold the expectation that everyone who swears should be banned from an event I'm attending. I expect that most people *do* swear at some time, but maybe they can keep the really choice stuff for at home. The same way that I let my child do things at home that I will not let him do in public out of consideration for other people. My child should not be banned from a con by mere fact of being child. If, and only if I did not show proper courtesy to other patrons then might I expect the con organiser may have reason to talk with me or ask me to remove my child.
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The question of whether con space is private or public is debatable and has come up before, but isn't worth getting into now.
My comment about people swearing was a touch facetious, but only to demonstrate a point. i find that there are a vocal minority who seem so offended by the presence of children that they think they should be banned from as many places as possible. It also seems to be some of these people who presume (incorrectly) that conventions are adults only spaces. What they wish and what actually is aren't necessarily the same thing. Now, not many things offend me, but gratuitous swearing is one of them. I cannot however, control the behaviour of other people beyond perhaps asking them to clean up their language if I feel brave enough (and even though the law would technically supposedly favour me in a public place, who is really going to go there?) I can only control what *I* do, and if I'm uncomfortable or don't want myself or my child to be exposed to X,Y or Z then I have the prerogative to remove myself from the situation. I cannot hold the expectation that everyone who swears should be banned from an event I'm attending. I expect that most people *do* swear at some time, but maybe they can keep the really choice stuff for at home. The same way that I let my child do things at home that I will not let him do in public out of consideration for other people. My child should not be banned from a con by mere fact of being child. If, and only if I did not show proper courtesy to other patrons then might I expect the con organiser may have reason to talk with me or ask me to remove my child.