Why the kids’ table is a necessity this (and every) Thanksgiving season

Photo courtesy of Wendy Wei/Pexels

During almost every Thanksgiving dinner, families and friends gather to eat, laugh, and pretend that everyone gets along with one another, all of which are basic expectations. But there is one particular staple at every Thanksgiving dinner that I believe should never, by any means, be ignored: the kids’ table. Without it, I feel as though Thanksgiving dinner would fall apart faster than you can even say the word “Thanksgiving.” So, I’m going to be discussing why I think that a kids’ table is a necessity at every Thanksgiving dinner. 

First, it keeps all of the children contained in one area. Respectfully, I do not want to spend my break from the stresses of college and life chasing after a little kid, trying to get them to sit still long enough to eat their food. Half of the time, they enjoy playing with the food more than actually eating it. As someone who values their peace, I do not want that to be ruined by a little kid smashing their hands into their mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, resulting in myself and the rest of my family wearing it by the end of the meal. If they want to play with their food, they can cause a food fight at the table next to the adult one. 

In a similar vein, I like having conversations with family members that I have not seen in quite some time, and when that is interrupted by the screaming and sticky iPad kid sitting next to me, I start to have a problem. While I think it is important to be together with the people you are thankful for during this time of year, I do not want to be surrounded by tablets playing Ms. Rachel or Bluey way too loudly with smudges of food everywhere and all over everything. 

Respectfully, when I come home from school for the few days that we get for Thanksgiving, I want to sit back and relax while I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. I don’t want to have to watch little kids running around, making sure that they don’t stick their fingers in all of the food before we’ve even had the chance to sit down. I’m trying to run away from my responsibilities for a few days, not gain five more; I’m not quite sure I’m ready for that yet. 

Finally, I think it is only fair that I mention the fact that the kids’ table is a rite of passage. In my family, you start sitting at the kids' table when you’re able to walk and talk, and you sit there until you’re at least a sophomore in high school. I am fourth in line out of ten cousins, so Thanksgiving always involved a huge gathering, and most of the time, there were more kids there than adults. This was not just for Thanksgiving, but also for Christmas Eve dinner and Easter. Now that I sit proudly at the adult table, I understand the frustration that comes with the dreaded kids’ table. Now, I understand that families and friends have different ways of going about things, but I feel that for a college student to enjoy a restful and quiet Thanksgiving, a kids’ table is not only an expectation, but a necessity.