The Dreaded Kids' Table

When kids hit a certain age, they long to be treated like adults. Naturally, this means sitting at the adult table when the family has company, right? Sure, adult conversations can be a little boring, but who cares?

Unfortunately, in the eyes of their parents, sitting with the grownups during the meal is a big No for whatever reason. Maybe they need that teenager's help tending to the children while they eat. Maybe they're not comfortable with their teenager at the same table while they discuss heated subjects (and possibly argue over them). Or maybe it's simply "Because I Said So."

This mostly comes up in sitcoms and is played for laughs, but sometimes it can be taken seriously: the teenager in question gets angry at being treated like a child and the parent must learn to let them grow up. In some cases, though, the kid gunning for a seat at the adult table realizes how boring it is and begs to sit with the kids again.

Examples of The Dreaded Kids' Table in media

Film

• The plot of Sixteen Wishes is kicked off by heroine Abby being forced to sit at the children's table for Thanksgiving while her same-age rival is allowed to eat with the adults. One of her wishes is to be treated like an adult.

Literature

• The Fancy Nancy book Our Thanksgiving Banquet sees the titular character feeling too mature for the kids' table, but quickly regrets begging for a spot at the adult table upon realizing how boring it is.
• Pre-teen Greg and teenage Roderick in Diary of a Wimpy Kid hate sitting at the kids' table, especially due to their toddler Uncle Cecil being allowed at the adult table.
• In Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona feels belittled and pushed to the side when her mother serves her in the kitchen alongside toddler Willa Jean during a New Year's brunch, while teenage Beezus gets to eat in the living room with the adults.
• In Golondrina de Invierno, since José Antonio's best friend Joaquín and his wife Rosario have MANY kids, there are mentions of a kids' table and maybe even two when the cast drops by their home. It's downplayed as a whole, however, since said main cast doesn't have charas young enough to sit with them.
• A variant involving chicken pieces occurs in Emily's Runaway Imagination. Emily is always given drumsticks, which she doesn't care for, and it's only at the fundraising potluck dinner for the library that she's finally able to help herself to the white meat she's always craved.

Live-Action TV

• College-aged Cindy is placed at the kids' table in A Very Brady Christmas, one of her points of contention during her speech about feeling like the family still treats her like a little kid. Carol apologizes and offers her a spot at the adult table, but Cindy gracefully declines since she is enjoying sitting with her little nieces and nephews.
• In The Cosby Show episode "Cliff's Wet Adventure", teenage Vanessa objects to being placed at a table with little sister Rudy and even younger niece Olivia for Thanksgiving. Claire tells her it would be a good idea for her to serve the little ones, and then that she can sit at the adult table "when she's an adult." Vanessa, who is sixteen by this point, is incredibly insulted.
• One of Roseanne's Thanksgiving Episodes has Darlene protest sitting at the kids' table as she doesn't want to watch DJ "make another mashed potato town." Roseanne concedes that DJ is the kids' table that year.
• In Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Sabrina is forced to sit at the kids' table with her bratty cousin during a Halloween party. Salem gripes about having to sit at the kitty table with the hostess's cat.

Western Animation

• A major plot point of the Bob's Burgers episode "Turkey in a Can" has Tina longing to sit at the adult table and Bob continually telling her no. It ends up being the catalyst for the main plot in which the turkey keeps ending up in the toilet: Bob is distressed that Tina's growing up, and due to his allergy pills he keeps sleepwalking and taking the turkey into the bathroom, thinking he's potty-training a younger Tina. When Tina reassures him that she still needs him even if she can go to the bathroom on her own, Bob relents and lets her sit with the adults.
• One episode of Family Guy has Francis forcing Lois to sit at the kids' table with Stewie when he comes to visit. The reason is that he's a devout Catholic who hates Lois for being a Protestant, and he both wants to humiliate her and he refuses to share a dinner table with her. Keep in mind that this is in Lois's own house after she cooked his birthday dinner, which she even points out!
• Lincoln on The Loud House actually trains in manners and maturity to get out of sitting at the kiddie table with his little sisters. Upon realizing how boring it is and that adults have to eat liver and no dessert, he disobeys on purpose to be sent back to the kids' table.
• Lance in Voltron: Legendary Defender finally "graduates" from the kids' table when he brings Allura home for a date. His sister Rachel takes his spot with the children to make room for Allura with the adults.

Real Life

• This blog post discusses how many real life kids feel about being at the kids' table, forgotten and ignored by the adults.