The Kid's table

[Tiggeroo]

Did you sit there? How old were you when you were allowed at the grownup table. Did they make you leave because it was time for grownup talk? Were you happy when you were actually allowed to stay at the grown-up table? Was it a better place then the kids table?
I was the oldest child and grand child. I remember feeling very out of place at the kids table for a long time. I had an aunt or two who took pity on me and would bring me to the grownup table for a little bit.

 

[brittsmum1998]

I'm 45, I thought I was going to sit at kids table until I died. You mean I will eventually make it to the adult table?

 

[Tiggeroo]

I think somebody has to vacate a spot first. Do you have a 104 yr old aunt who takes her teeth out at the table, has little memory and calls everybody chubby?

 

[Becky2005]

Sounds like my DD...she does NOT like sitting at the kid's table but she's stuck there anyway.

In our case, it's just a matter of practical seating. We have 6 in our family, our kitchen table holds 6 (where we normally eat our meals) -- my brother has 2 kids, I have 4 -- when we have a get together, the kids sit at the kitchen table while the adults sit at the dining room table with extra chairs put by it anyway. She always wants to sit at the adult table but really, there is no room for her to be there. She could easily be old enough but then she would have to eat on the floor or something vs. at a table.

At Christmas Eve, it's akward because that's just my DH's sister & husband. They don't have any kids so DD wants to come join us but that's a little more akward for her to join in that group as it's different dynamics.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Generally in our family it was a matter of practical seating also. And once they let one child in they'd have to keep letting them in. This would be impossible. But I also always felt there was some magic in the adult room. Now as an adult I know it was also probably conversation. Once you could spell and they couldn't spell the things they didn't want you to hear (my grandmother would spell whole sentences) they didn't want you out there.

 

[landshark]

In our family, I think it's always been a matter of seating available as well. As I got older, it seems like people just sit wherever they want and I willingly still sit at the "kids table"--one of the extra tables in my parents' basement. My dad's relatives all sit upstairs at the dinner table/counter and my parents, mom's parents, and myself sit downstairs.

 

[Tiggeroo]

In our family, I think it's always been a matter of seating available as well. As I got older, it seems like people just sit wherever they want and I willingly still sit at the "kids table"--one of the extra tables in my parents' basement. My dad's relatives all sit upstairs at the dinner table/counter and my parents, mom's parents, and myself sit downstairs.

Now I think sending the kids to the basement sounds a bit cruel.

 

[Becky2005]

Generally in our family it was a matter of practical seating also. And once they let one child in they'd have to keep letting them in. This would be impossible. But I also always felt there was some magic in the adult room. Now as an adult I know it was also probably conversation. Once you could spell and they couldn't spell the things they didn't want you to hear (my grandmother would spell whole sentences) they didn't want you out there.

I think that's why DD wants "in" -- something about being in the adult room. With my family, it really wouldn't matter...although it really would be the older 3 kids would be in there because there isn't that much age difference between them. For a short time span my niece & DS-12 are the same age until she turns the next year older.

With my DH's family on Christmas Eve...it's a little different because the conversation tends to be about jobs, etc... and they *really* don't care too much about High School stuff going on. Occassionally, it can get political too (which is always interesting since DH & sis I think have opposite views....I just avoid talking at that point...gee, look, I have to go help the kids with XYZ!!!).

Usually with my family around dessert time they can hang in the room though.

 

[hopemax]

Growing up, we didn't live near family so it was just my immediate family and sometimes a friend of the family. So no kids table there.

I just posted in another thread about DH's Grammy's house. He is the oldest grandchild, so he was given a seat of honor right next to Grammy. Since I am his wife, I get to sit by him. There is still a kids table (rickety card table) and since all the "kids" are now in their 20's, everyone rotates who has to sit at it. But since DH has his spot of honor, we never have to sit at the kids table.

 

[Phedre]

I'm still at the kid's table for big gatherings.. except now all of us 'kids' are in our 30s

 

[golfgal]

Now I think sending the kids to the basement sounds a bit cruel.

Why???? Our basement is fully finished and has a nice entertainment system down there, the kids all try to get the table down there.

The kids in our family LOVE the "kids" table but for the most part the older kids are all the same age and have fun and the younger kids think it is cool to hang out with the older kids. DS17 will sit with the adults because there isn't anyone his age to talk with(the next closest kids in age are girls or our DS14)

Grandma always sits at the kids table with them-she enjoys listening to them.

 

[powellrj]

We don't have a kids table. My DM has a dining/great room so its just the dining room table and a card table. It depends on what people are doing. If a game is on the guy with eat at the card table to watch the game. In my house I have a dining room/living room so we have a dining room table, card table and then tv trays in the family room. Its just who ever wants to eat where. Sometimes the young adults will eat in the family room and other times it will be the guys (once again it depends on if a game is on).

 

[BelleWDW]

OMG! I was the oldest grandchild, and only girl for 6 years-hated eating with all my bratty boy cousins

Kids ate in the kitchen-adults in the large elegant dining room at Grandma's in the Garden District of New Orleans.
I think at 13 I "graduated to the adult table.....and it was kinda...boring


WE now just grab a chair to eat wherever we have gatherings-family is way too big to all sit down at same table.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We don't have a "kid's table" really. You grab a plate and find a spot.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Ours is all one room- the kid's table is a little kids card table/chairs set. The past several years it's been my DD, neice and cousin's girls (all in the 7-9 year old range.) My 4 year old nephew has always just sat with his parents as a default. DS13 sits at the counter or living room with the other guys. When he was little/the only grandchild, everyone fit at the regular table.


As a kid, my grandparents' table only sat 4. That was the grandparents, grandma and the elderly neighbor. Everyone else scattered around the living room (same room as the table.) I guess the "kids table" there was the floor as the adults got dibs on sofa/chair seats.

 

[C.Ann]

We never had a "kids" table..

 

[NMAmy]

We never had a kids' table, either. I guess that's one advantage of having a small-ish family. And, no, the kids don't have to leave the table to avoid grown up conversations. I'm not even sure what those would include at a family holiday meal.

 

[monkey68]

With us, it depends. I have a small family, and even if you count the extended family, it's still pretty small. I only have 2 first cousins, and they both live in Israel, and one of them is about 13 years older than me anyway. So generally, it was just me and my sister as the only "kids". At Passover, I still end up reading the 4 questions because I'm still the youngest in the family that comes for holidays.

But if we go to a large gathering that includes the family friends that we consider family (usually birthdays or engagements, etc), then I still get sat at the kids table, except the kids are all over 20. We now have a kiddie table, which is very distinct from the kids table. The kiddie table is the one for the 10 and under crowd.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

<Sigh> I'm 30 someodd years old and have kids but I still sit at the kids table!! LOL

There is my Memere and her 4 kids (including my dad) and their spouses, 9 cousins (including me), my DH, 2 Cousin in laws and now 5 great grand children.

When Pepere died my brother (the oldest cousin) was bumped up to the grown up table. But when my dad's youngest brother died his wife remarried and we inherited not only a Step Uncle but his father as well. So my brother was bumped back down. At this rate I will be the Grandma before I get to sit at the grown up table!

And ours was a rickety card table and stools, and a wicker table and chairs set.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I'm still at the kid's table for big gatherings.. except now all of us 'kids' are in our 30s

Me too! All of us 'kids' have always sat in the living room for holidays at a card table, and we still do.