Do you actually have kids? Or have relatives who have kids? [maybe you just have very smart, emotionally balanced, introverted ones?]
Because let me tell you, kids do some pretty dumb things. ALL THE TIME!!!!!
My cousin has a brood of 4, and anytime my wife and I think "oh, maybe we should have children" we just go over to their place for the afternoon, and presto-chango, we're good with no kids
I do agree that sometimes authors use children as plot devices, but that doesn't make it unbelievable that little Tommy would actually run into the road, or climb over that cliff or....etc, etc.
Kids are what make us old