Do You Have a Kids' Table at Thanksgiving Dinner?

November 25, 2008

Some of my fondest childhood Thanksgiving memories involve sitting at the kids' table. I loved the sense of connection it gave me with my cousins, some of whom I only saw a few times a year. And of course, as soon as we finished eating, we could escape outside to play, before anyone could call us in for cleanup duty. Source

20 Comments

Ellenora 4 years 25 weeks

Unfortunately, yes when I go to my Grandma's for Thanksgiving (which is nearly every year). That means I (the oldest of the THREE children on my dad's side) have to suffer listening to my ten-year old cousin talking/shouting one million miles per hour and watching and hearing my little brother (who's 18) chew with his mouth open in the very hot kitchen. My aunt still cuts up my cousin's piece of ham too...at 10!

Phorrest99 4 years 25 weeks

We did this year. My family & I celebrated early on Sunday because some are going out of town to visit in-laws, so we had Thanksgiving at my apartment & my table wasn't big enough everyone. So the kids ate at the coffee table in their own little chairs, while watching a movie. It worked out great :)

Mintie 4 years 25 weeks

No kids allowed at our Thanksgiving. We do an "orpahns" thanksgiving for friends who have nowhere to go, not for families. I don't have the setup or the patience for kids at my house.

Mykie7 4 years 25 weeks

ks! Exactly! They kept me at that table forever to "entertain" the little kids. now, I love kids, I really do, but there comes a point where you want to be part of the adults and not just the "babysitter"

kscincotta 4 years 25 weeks

I hated the kids table at my aunt and uncle's house. My oldest boy cousin (their son), who is only 2 months older than me, got to sit at the adult table starting when he was like 13. I, however, had to stay at the kids table for the next three years because my only girl cousin (their daughter) was a year and a half younger than me and she needed someone to keep her company with the rest of the boy cousins. It was the biggest load of crap ever.

Mykie7 4 years 25 weeks

My folks did but I refuse to have one. I was forced to sit at the "kids table" until I was 23 years old. It really kinda pi**ed me off. I will NEVER EVER make the children in our house feel like outcasts that have to sit off by themselves so the adults can dine in peace. It's mean, and it may not do anything to the little ones, they probably enjoy it, but once a "Kid" is 14 or 15 that can really make them feel like the black sheep of the family. It's just a bad practice all the way around. Include the kids. Thanksgiving is for family and being together, not age segregation.

LilyBiscuit7 4 years 25 weeks

We have eveyone together.....but this is the first year at a relative's house. They are using 2 tables because we all can't be seated in her DR.

colormesticky 4 years 25 weeks

Kind of. We have a grandkids table. We're in our 20's and 30's, but the "grown up" table is too small for our huge Thanksgivings.

valancyjane 4 years 25 weeks

When I was little there wasn't a kid's table (somehow we always had enough room at the main table - I guess my grandmother invited very carefully!). Now we go to my husband's family and there isn't a table! People just eat in front of the TV. Sigh. I am NOT a fan of this approach. When we get to host a holiday in our own house, I think we will have a bunch of tables in the big den, but not a kids' table necessarily. I think it's better for kids to get in the habit of eating with adults; and you can assign the less uptight adults to sit with the silly kids and put up with them blowing bubbles in their milk or whatever, while the more serious kids pretend to talk politics with the bookish adults.

starangel82 4 years 25 weeks

When we were little and my cousins still came to Thanksgiving/Christmas, yes. The adults ate in the dining room and the kids either had a kids' table or ate in the kitchen (good old days!). Now there are no kids, but I imagine they'll be one once my sister and I get around to having some.