When you travel, it pays to minimize baggage. For any trip that lasts five days or fewer, I will always have one carry-on suitcase and my laptop bag. 

I was gone for two weeks recently and checked two bags. Thankfully, Southwest will allow you to check two bags without fees. There’s still the gamble that they may lose your bags.
Ultimately what it boils down to is time. I was waiting for 1.5 hours to retrieve my bags in Charlotte. When you are waiting that long, you notice things. For example, young children seem to be fascinated by the bag carousel. They love to stand right next to it, which is a bad idea. The moving conveyor belt poses many opportunities to pinch fingers. In addition, little kids don’t have the strength to actually retrieve bags. So there really is no reason for them to be standing next to the conveyor belt, taking up crucial real estate.