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Why were there kids on the Enterprise?

The rationale is that the Federation is not a military organization, but one of exploration. The Enterprise was supposed to be a flying city on an indefinite voyage of exploration. Hence, the crew should have the comfort of family with them. From a narrative perspective, the inclusion of children was to promote character development--as much character development as Trek could muster, at any rate.

There was probably also a misguided notion children would watch the show and fantasize they could be on the Enterprise, too. That would be a misguided notion because children fantasize about being a Starfleet officer battling aliens, not being a kid watching it all from the sidelines. It makes you wonder if the geniuses coming up with thse ideas were ever children themselves.

The truth is, I suspect Gene Roddenberry had the same problem as George Lucas--there was no one around influential enough to tell him when his ideas were bad. In this case, he is putting children in imminent danger every week, but justifying it because the Enterprise is out there studying stars and asteroids on a mission of peace when some filthy aliens attack. Once Picard sets them straight with some perfectly rationalized 24th century secular humanism, the kids are all safe. You see, it is not the Federation that puts the children in perpetual danger.

Like a lot of aspects of trek, the reality there are children on board is either utilized or completely ignored when drama calls for it . You know there are children on the Enterprise when one is sick and needs to get to a Starbase in a certain period of time, but Data has hijacked the ship while under Noonian Soongh;s control, but the fact is ignored when the Enterprise is entering the Neutral Zone to look for a hidden base, participating in a blockade of the Klingon Empire, or planning to ram a Borg Cube. It is an admission having children on board is impossible to rationalize.