History Main / JustAKid

-->--''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''

* ''[[TheChroniclesOfNarnia Prince Caspian]]'': Trumpkin doesn't even try to hide his initial disappointment to find that the powerful kings and queens who ruled Narnia during the Golden Age have come back as ''children'' (YearInsideHourOutside complicates things that way).
* In the ''NightWorld'' series, made vampires are frozen at whatever age they are turned at, and lamia (vampires that can eat, have children, etc.) can stop their physical aging at any time they want. This ends up meaning that several people who have to fight vampires have to silently recite something along the lines of, "They're not really kids." Amusing, considering even vampire kids who are young would still be rather dangerous to a human.
* In ''Hunger'', the second book in the ''Literature/{{Gone}}'' series, by Micheal Grant, this is the excuse of almost everyone for not working, because every character is under 15.

* Appears a lot the ''YoungWizards'' series, mostly used by parents. But in book 4, 14-year-old Nita uses this trope on a month-old kitten bard; the kitten is not amused, and starts lecturing....

* The frequently-underestimated eleven year old chemistry genius and proto-goth-chick Flavia de Luce solves mysteries in books like "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" and "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag." In the latter, the constabulary are infuriated she is always better informed than they are and put it down to the fact that as a kid, people open up to her. (The fact is, she's also smarter than they are.)

* Children under fifteen are by default looked down on in ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', but they can definitely prove themselves and gain a following if they're strong enough. Women are treated the same way. Being both of these things, Daenerys likes to twist this trope to her own benefit whenever an advisor or commander voices some opinion that she disagrees with or believes is short-sighted.
--> '''Daenerys''': I am only a young girl and know little of such matters, but it seems to me that ''[voices an opinion she has no intent of changing]''.

* ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'' has the Baudelaire orphans who are a lot more intelligent than they are given credit for, and one of them is a ''baby''. They learn [[AdultsAreUseless not to go to adults for help]] because many of the adults will either [[YouHaveToBelieveMe not believe them]] or are just idiots.
* ArtemisFowl has had it impressed on him many times that the hardest part of being a pre-teen [[TheChessmaster criminal mastermind]] is getting people to take you seriously, especially when dealing with his own race. Faeries tend to respect him more, though they still get irked at being outsmarted by a [[FantasticRacism mud boy]].

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Buffy, at least during the high school years. It disappears largely after then, because everyone in Sunnydale (and beyond) has apparently heard of Buffy and is no longer surprised at her abilities. The trope was back in full swing during season seven, with the training of Dawn and the Potentials. There's also a CallBack in the SeasonFinale of Season 5, when Buffy saves a VictimOfTheWeek from a vampire. He says, "But you're just a girl!" Buffy walks off; "That's what ''I'' keep saying."
** Normally Dawn complains about being called a kid (to be fair, by the end of the show, she's older than Buffy was when she started Slaying), but [[OutOfCharacter one time she refers to herself as just a kid]]. Nobody cares because, well:
-->'''Dawn:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny It's like a meat party in my mouth.]] ''(pause)'' [[ThatCameOutWrong Okay, I'm just a kid and even I know that sounded wrong.]]
* ''DoogieHowserMD'': The premise: medical doctor who is just a kid. Faintly based on a real-life example.
* ''{{Sliders}}'': Quinn Mallory
* ''TheWire'': Omar Little, one of the lead characters, dismisses many young players in the Baltimore drug trade because they're "just kids", including using the phrase exactly to describe Michael, who is meeting with Marlo, in late season four. One such child, [[spoiler:Kenard]], is looked at by a Baltimore police officer as an example of how Omar's influence and brazen antics have spread to young, impressionable children, who view him as a hero. Near the end of the series, [[spoiler:Omar is unexpectedly gunned down by Kenard, and had dismissed the child as a threat when he walked into the store]].

* In ''[[Manga/YuushaGojoKumiaiKouryuugataKeijiban Hero Union BBS]]'', a young hero visits a thread to ask the retired heros for some endgame advice after defeating her world's demon lord by herself. When she mentions that she's only nine years old, some of thread's participants become shocked or impressed that a hero so young was able to accomplish such a feat.

*** Evangeline's opponent in the first round tried to avoid this by treating her as an equal and not to be underestimated; of course since Evangeline is one of the strongest characters in the setting even while depowered, she still took him down in a split-second with a half-hearted punch while distracted.

*** Issuing requested correction: Iori is ''one'' year older than Takeru and Hikari were when their adventures began.

*** [[MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Tengu Man was BUILT just last year, but he was DESIGNED as an adult.]]

* A huge theme of ''PhineasAndFerb'' is the fact they ''are'' just kids, yet still manage to do so many bizarre and amazing things; this is the main reason that their mother [[RefugeInAudacity never believes Candace]] when [[CassandraTruth she tries to bust them]].

* The Girl part of ''GunslingerGirl'' means that this is the usual reaction to them, even from people who have heard of their existence. The gunslinger part means that said people die soon after making this mistake.

* In ''HighschoolOfTheDead'', despite most of the main cast being high school age and obviously competent from the reader's perspective, they receive this treatment once they reach the Takagi mansion. Fortunately, the cast gets their chance to prove themselves.

* In a ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'' episode that guest starred ''WesternAnimation/TheHarlemGlobetrotters'', the two groups decided to play basketball for fun. The Globetrotters said they would go easy on Mystery Inc since they're only kids. They change their minds when Scooby easily gets the ball and scores a basket.

* Averted in "DragonBooster", where not only are the main cast all 16 or under (Moordryd being debatably 17), no one even mentions that Artha's 10 year old brother is going on the adventures with the group. Possibly explained by the only adults we see being Artha and Moordryd's fathers, and officials that are presumably upper class, but it's strange to only see adults in situations that simply could not be done by children (security heads and teachers), and no one thinks it's strange for the Down City racers to be primarily under 20.

* Paige tries treating the others as kids in ''[[{{TCT RPG}} The Colour Tuesday,]]'' at which point Alex points out that she's the same age as the rest of them.

* 17-year-old turned 7-year-old Shinichi Kudo in ''DetectiveConan'' finds this a serious problem as no-one will take his deductions seriously. Then again, he still makes the best of the situation by constantly exploiting his ability to be underestimated by the culprits.

* This trope is generally inverted in ''{{Duumvirate}}'' because everyone knows how dangerous young engineereds are, but one [[TooDumbToLive poor fool]] messes with a certain four-armed boy escaping from an AmusementParkOfDoom. The kid's a fraction his size, WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong

** ''FateStayNight'': Gilgamesh to Shirou, who by then has the perfect counter-ability (Avalon or [[FieldOfBlades Unlimited Blade Works]], [[AlternateContinuity depending]])

* Throughout the ''FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' episode "Frankie My Dear", Bloo uses this as his excuse as to why he thinks he's better for Frankie than Mac is. Mac promptly throws it back in his face, since he imagined Bloo when he was three, making Bloo all of ''five years old'', with the immaturity of a whiny toddler to match.

* OlderThanFeudalism: Jeremiah, from ''Literature/TheBible''.

* "A terrorist doesn't let strangers into her flat because they might be undercover police or intelligence agents, but her children bring their mates home and they run all over the place. The terrorist doesn't know that one of these kids has bugged every room in her house, made copies of all her computer files and stolen her address book. The kid works for {{CHERUB}}."

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Buffy, at least during the high school years. It disappears largely after then, because everyone in Sunnydale (and beyond) has apparently heard of Buffy and is no longer surprised at her abilities. The trope was back in full swing during season seven, with the training of Dawn and the Potentials.

* ''DigimonTamers'' is notorious for this, as every single one of the main characters' families plays the JustAKid card. [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Jenrya's]] mom was probably the most memorable -- she was the only one who never really supported the idea of her son fighting, even after seeing him in action.
** ''[[DigimonTamers Tamers]]'' wasn't the only season to have a JustAKid situation. Iori/Cody got this treatment from his older teammates, two of whom (T.K./Takeru and Kari/Hikari) conveniently forgot that Iori/Cody is two full years older than they were during their first adventure with the Digimon (at least that's the age gap in the American version. Correct me if that isn't universal).

** Again played straight with Ricken in [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening]], the youngest of Chrom's Shepherds. Most of his dialogue and supports have him trying to prove he isn't.

* All of Europe thought that about Maria Theresa. [[YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry They proved mistaken]].

* This was part of the real reason JoanOfArc's ability to lead an army was questioned. Women soldiers were not unheard of (especially as all the men were getting killed), some had even commanded, and it was not the first time someone had reported being asked by God to fight the English. It was the first time someone did all these things ''at the age of fourteen.''

'''Aang:''' Well, [[NotSoDifferent you're]] [[InsultBackfire just a teenager.]]

When its the villain instead of the hero whose youth is being remarked on, you might be dealing with an EnfantTerrible, in which case you're in big trouble.

* {{Videogame/Bastion}} has this Averted, as the main protagonist is not only the one of the few survivors of {{The End of the World as We Know It}}, but he's Only 16 or so. Then he gets {{More Dakka}}. A hammer, shotgun, rifle, bow, flamethrower, machete, spear, indestructible shield, and an OP cannon. More than Enuff Dakka for such a young Kid, huh? Even the Narrator thinks so.

** This could be part of the reason behind teenage rebellion. When teenagers start seeing that the world is seeing tgem as an adult and being given more responsibilities (being able to drive, vote, enlist in the military, etc.,) and you parents still see you as "my little baby," it's entirely possible that most rebellion is the child saying, "No, I'm not anymore." Most go in the wrong direction, but still as good a theory as any.

* In ''HighschoolOfTheDead'', despite most of the main cast being high school age and obviously competent from the reader's perspective, they receive this treatment once they reach the Takagi mansion. This mostly speaks towards a [[ValuesDissonance cultural stigma in Japan]] that you're not really an adult until you're 20 and are dismissed as a kid up to that point. Fortunately, the cast gets their chance to prove themselves.

'''Aang:''' Well, you're just a teenager.