Line #95 Main/Youngsters


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5	[[quoteright:307:[[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/youthful-freckles_dennis-the-menace_us_3933.png]]]]
6	[[caption-width-right:307: [[GirlsHaveCooties Ah, childhood...]]]]
7
8	->''The Master said, "Respect the young. How do you know that they will not one day be all that you are now?"''
9	-->-- '''Creator/{{Confucius}}''', ''The Analects''
10
11	''Entries concerning children. See AdultTropes and {{Elders}} for the opposite.''
12
13	Compare TinyTropes, SchoolTropes, and TeenageTropes. See also ChildrensShowTropes. Make sure they're accompanied with TheParentTrope.
14
15	----
16
17	!!Characters:
18	[[index]]
19	[floatboxright:
20	'''Subcategories:'''
21	+ AdoptAnIndex
22	+ BabiesBabiesEverywhere
23	+ ChildAbuseTropes
24	+ EarlyAdulthoodIndex
25	+ OrphanedIndex
26	+ PrecociousnessTropes
27	+ PubertyTropes
28	+ RichKids
29	+ TeenageTropes
30	]
31	* AbandonedWarChild: A child who was fathered by a soldier that was killed or missing in wartime circumstances.
32	* AccidentalChildKillerBackstory: A character unintentionally killed a child and now lives with the guilt.
33	* AdorablyPrecociousChild: Child character is seen as cute for trying to act mature for their age.
34	* AdultHater: A child who despises adults.
35	* AffectionHatingKid: A child who hates expressing, and/or seeing people express, affection.
36	* AnnoyinglyRepetitiveChild: Someone is annoyed by a kid saying or doing something over and over.
37	* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: A younger sibling who's seen as annoying to their older one.
38	* TheArtfulDodger: Crafty, street-wise homeless child.
39	* ArtisticLicenseChildLaborLaws: Kids are shown working despite being too young to work in real life.
40	* BabyAsPayment: A child is given away in exchange for something else.
41	* TheBabyOfTheBunch: A child member of TheTeam who is often treated as such by their peers.
42	* BabysitterFriendship: A special friendship between a child, and their caregiver.
43	* BabysitterFromHell: A sociopathic babysitter who's absolutely feared by a kid.
44	* BabysittersNightmare: A bratty child drives away anyone hired to babysit them.
45	* BakerStreetRegular: Kid assists a police officer.
46	* BigBrotherBully: Older sibling bullies their younger sibling.
47	* ABoyAGirlAndABabyFamily: A family consisting of a son, a daughter, and a baby.
48	* BoyishShorts: Shorts on young male characters to convey their youth and/or immaturity around adults.
49	* BrattyHalfPint: Immature and whiny little kid.
50	* BreathHoldingBrat: A child holds their breath to get what they want.
51	* TheBully: A schoolyard big kid who immaturely expresses their insecurities by teasing the less fortunate.
52	* BullyAndWimpPairing: TheBully is paired with an ExtremeDoormat.
53	* TheCabinBoy: Child member of the pirate crew.
54	* CensoredChildDeath: The death of a child is censored.
55	* ChangelingFantasy: Your real parents are much more exciting than your other ones.
56	* ChangelingTale: Babies who are abducted by fairies and replaced.
57	* CheerfulChild: Child who is very energetic and enthusiastic.
58	* ChickenpoxEpisode: A character, almost always a child, comes down with chickenpox.
59	* AChildShallLeadThem: A child leads adult society.
60	* ChildhoodFriends: They've been friends since they were little.
61	* ChildhoodFriendRomance: A couple has known each other since they were children.
62	* ChildMage: A preteen wizard.
63	* ChildOfForbiddenLove: A child born from a forbidden romantic reunion.
64	* ChildPopstar: A child who's famous in the pop music industry.
65	* ChildProdigy: A child who is academically proficient.
66	* ChildSoldiers: Children in the military.
67	* ChildrenAreTenderHearted: A child who has a soft heart.
68	* ChildrenAsPawns: Using children as part of a plan.
69	* ChildrenDoTheHousework: Children do the household chores in place of their parents.
70	* ChildrenForcedToKill: Children are required to commit murder.
71	* ChildrensCovertCoterie: A genuine secret society of children.
72	* {{Chuunibyou}}: A young character tries too hard to convince others they're "cool".
73	* CircusBrat: A child who grew up in the circus.
74	* ClassClown: The kid in class who gets the most attention from students and teachers alike due to their eccentricity, typically not taking school seriously.
75	* ClingyChild: A child who loves to cling to older people because they are shy, scared, or affectionate.
76	* ClungOnTight: When a character (hostile or not), clings on and won't let go of another for whatever reason. Can overlap with the above immediately above trope.
77	* ConstantlyCurious: Curiosity is a major nature of childhood.
78	* CousinOliver: A child character is introduced mid-series.
79	* CreepyChild: A child with disturbing intentions.
80	* CuriousAsAMonkey: A child's constant curiosity about subjects they are naive to.
81	* DeadGuyJunior: A child is named after a dead person.
82	* DeathOfAChild: Story deals with a child's death.
83	* DeliberatelyCuteChild: A child uses their cuteness as a manipulation tactic.
84	* DirtyKid: A child with perverted interests.
85	* DogGotSentToAFarm: Adult tells a small child that their pet/relative has gone somewhere when they've actually died.
86	* DoubleStandardViolenceChildOnAdult: A child physically harms an adult, but this is treated non-seriously and ''would'' have been treated seriously if the roles were reversed.
87	* DreadedKidsTable: The kids' table becomes insufferable once adolescence approaches.
88	* TheDreadedPretendTeaParty: Someone hates being part of a child's (usually a girl's) pretend tea party.
89	* EarlyPersonalitySigns: A child shows signs of their older personality, usually as a gag.
90	* EarPiercingPlot: A young character wants their ears pierced, but is either too scared to do it or is forbidden from doing so by their parents.
91	* EasilyEmbarrassedYoungster: A child who's easily embarrassed.
92	* EmbarrassedByAChild: A child points out that someone is doing something unusual, which embarrasses the person.
93	* EnfantTerrible: A child who is evil.
94	* EntertainmentAboveTheirAge: A child watches/reads/etc fiction that's meant for someone older.
95	* EvilOrphan: A child without parents who is evil.
96	* FatherIWantToMarryMyBrother: A child has an innocent crush on a family member, oblivious to the incestuous context.
97	* FilleFatale: A prepubescent girl who's sexually promiscuous.
98	* FirstPeriodPanic: A pre-teen girl treats her first menstrual episode as the end of the world.
99	* ForcedBath: Someone, usually a child, is forced by several people to take a bath.
100	* FosterKid: A child is put under foster care as a result of their tragic home life.
101	* FreeRangeChildren: Children who venture around town without adult supervision.
102	* FriendToAllChildren: A character who is very good with little kids.
103	* GooGooGodlike: An all-powerful child who doesn't know any better.
104	* GradeSchoolCEO: A minor who holds a high-ranking position in a company.
105	* HeartwarmingOrphan: Orphans are portrayed as likable.
106	* HideAndSeekHorror: A game of hide-and-seek is played for horror.
107	* HomeschooledKids: Children who don't attend public school.
108	* HomeworkSlave: A kid bullies another kid into doing their homework for them.
109	* HotelHellion: Bratty little kids terrorizes a hotel.
110	* HumanJungleGym: Involves children climbing up large characters like a playground.
111	* InfantSiblingJealousy: A child is [[GreenEyedMonster jealous]] of their newborn sibling.
112	* InnocentAwkwardQuestion: A child asks an adult a question that inadvertently makes the adults feel awkward.
113	* InnocentInaccurate: A naive or misinformed young character tells what they think is the truth.
114	* InnocentProdigy: A child whose intelligence comes with large doses of naivete.
115	* InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers: Non-humans kidnapping babies.
116	* KidAmidTheChaos: A kid left crying and scared in the middle of chaos gives the hero an opportunity to show their condolences.
117	* KidAnova: A young boy who's gotten all the girls.
118	* KidAppealCharacter: A character whose very existence relies on appealing to children.
119	* KidDetective: A child solves mysteries.
120	* KidFromTheFuture: Kids travel back in time and meet their parents before they were born.
121	* KidHero: Children are portrayed as heroes.
122	** KidHeroAllGrownUp: Until they become adults.
123	* KiddieKid: A child character behaves younger than their stated age.
124	* KiddyCoveralls: Kids wear overalls to show they're messy and troublemaking.
125	* KidSamurai: A child whose occupation is a samurai.
126	* KidsAreCruel: Kids are portrayed as mean, spiteful, and downright malicious.
127	* KidsDrivingCars: Children are able to drive.
128	* KidsHateChores: Children are averse to household chores.
129	* KidsHateVegetables: Children have a distaste for vegetables.
130	* KidsLoveDinosaurs: Children will be excited over anything dinosaur related.
131	* KidsRaidingTheWineCabinet: Kids being precocious and trying the grown-up's loopy-juice.
132	* KidSidekick: The sidekick is a child.
133	* KidsPreferBoxes: Children love playing in boxes.
134	* KidsShouldntWatchHorrorFilms: Horror films are portrayed as having damaging effects on little kids.
135	* KidWithTheLeash: A kid holds back their SealedEvilInACan from doing evil.
136	* TheKidWithTheRemoteControl: Kid has control over their hulking monstrosity.
137	* KungFuKid: A child is skilled in the art of kung-fu.
138	* LittleGirlsKickShins: A little girl kicks someone in the shin.
139	* LittleJimmy: A young character whose only distinguishable feature is their unawareness of the subject at hand.
140	* LittleMissAlmighty: The supreme rule of the universe is a girl.
141	* LittleMissBadass: A little girl who can kick ass.
142	* LittleMissConArtist: This little girl knows how to scam.
143	* LittleMissSnarker: A little girl who delivers sarcasm.
144	* LittleSisterHeroine: A little sister (or figure of such) who is a love interest, fetishizes cute things, and is rather clingy.
145	* LittlestCancerPatient: A little kid who's suffering from the effects of a terminal, or possibly-terminal, disease (not necessarily actual cancer, but it can be).
146	* LonelyDollGirl: A little girl plays with dolls to compensate for her lack of a social life.
147	* LonelyRichKid: The rich kid is portrayed as having no friends.
148	* MatureYoungerSibling: A younger sibling is mature compared to their older one(s).
149	* MatureWorkChildProtagonists: A work aimed at adults has children as protagonists.
150	* MenaceDecay: A troubled child becomes less of a menace as the series progresses.
151	* MilitaryBrat: Child of a military parent. Unlike most tropes in this list, this status lasts throughout life.
152	* MinorWithFakeID: A minor presents a fake ID to be granted permission into an adult-only place.
153	* MissConception: A child receives inaccurate information as to where babies come from.
154	* MissingChild: A child whose parents are worried sick about their absence at home.
155	* MouthyKid: Snarky but reasonable kid.
156	* NeverARunaway: Not always a youngster, but generally targeted at young people who are believed to have run away but did not.
157	* NeverGrewUp: A character never emotionally grows up despite chronologically and/or physically aging.
158	* NewKidStigma: The new pupil at school is disliked by classmates.
159	* NinjaBrat: A child tries to imitate a ninja but fails miserably, to their brattiness.
160	* NobodyLikesATattletale: Children won't tell adults about their problems because they're scared of being labeled tattletales.
161	* NotGrowingUpSucks: Characters are upset over their physical or mental age not advancing with their chronological age.
162	* OdeToYouth: A song praising the irresponsibility of childhood or adolescence.
163	* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: High school student appears normal at the start of the series before becoming the hero in some fantastical plot.
164	* OtherworldlyVisitsYoungestFirst: The youngest in the group is the first to see something otherworldly.
165	* PatientChildhoodLoveInterest: Male and female love interests have been on each other's side since childhood.
166	* PintSizedKid: A child who's short by the standards of most kids their age.
167	* PlatonicBoyGirlHeroes: A duo consisting of a young boy and girl who are required to work together.
168	* PlayingDoctor: Two kids play a game that involves seeing the opposite sex naked, out of curiosity.
169	* PluckyGirl: A little girl who never gives up.
170	* PluckyMiddie: The nickname of a child sailor.
171	* PreachersKid: The child of a pastor who is either a sweet angel or an immoral devil.
172	* PrecociousCrush: A child's innocent crush on an older person.
173	* PsychicChildren: Children with psychic powers.
174	* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: An extraordinarily ancient character looks like a child.
175	* RobotKid: A robot who's programmed with the mannerisms of a child.
176	* RoyalBrat: Royal children are spoiled brats.
177	* TheRunaway: Child runs away from home.
178	* SelfMadeOrphan: A child kills their own parents.
179	* SnoopingLittleKid: A child who eavesdrops on villainous sights.
180	* SpoiledBrat: An egocentric child who becomes bratty if not doted on.
181	* SpoiledSweet: A pampered child who is always outwardly nice and sweet-tempered.
182	* StaringKid: Camera pans out to show a kid staring at something.
183	* StreetUrchin: A not-necessarily homeless child who spends most of their time on the streets doing what they can to get by.
184	* SuperiorSuccessor: A younger generation proves to be more competent than the previous one.
185	* TeamKids
186	* TinyTimTemplate: A character based on the innocent child Tiny Tim from ''Literature/AChristmasCarol''.
187	* TinyTyrannicalGirl: A short bossy girl.
188	* TokenMiniMoe: The only child member of the group, a cute one at that.
189	* TokenRichStudent: The only rich student of the class.
190	* TykeBomb: Child was born and bred to kill.
191	* UndeadChild: A child who's an undead creature, or an undead creature masquerading as a child.
192	* UntoUsASonAndDaughterAreBorn: On-screen pregnancy produces opposite-sex fraternal twins.
193	* WildChild: A feral child with the mannerisms of an animal.
194	* WiseBeyondTheirYears: A child who is smart and responsible for their age, in a positive way.
195	* WonderChild: A childless older person or couple receives a baby through natural means.
196	* YoungConqueror: A young character striving to TakeOverTheWorld.
197	* YoungEntrepreneur: Child who is good at getting other people's money.
198	* YoungGun: Gun-toting kid.
199
200	!!Devices:
201	* AgeAppropriateAngst: A character's age determines what is appropriate for them to worry about.
202	* AgeDownRomance: An older character turned back into a kid gets romantically involved with someone who is actually that age.
203	* BabysittingEpisode: An episode that centers around a kid being babysat.
204	* BadlyBatteredBabysitter: A babysitter never gets her way.
205	* BeforeMyTime: Someone's education leaves them with knowledge of subjects that precede their birth.
206	* BestYearsOfYourLife: A lie told by parents or other adults about youth being the best time of a person's life even when the kid is facing serious problems.
207	* Bittersweet17: A 17-year-old who is in their coming-of-age.
208	* BlanketFort: A fort made out of blankets.
209	* BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill: A pubescent child's braces are depicted as gawky and over-exaggerated.
210	* BratsWithSlingshots: Immature children in fiction are given slingshots as weapons.
211	* ChildHater: A character who hates children.
212	* ChildhoodBrainDamage: A character who suffered a head injury during their childhood.
213	* ChildishBangs: Little girls have bangs with otherwise-longer hair.
214	* ChildishToothGap: A gap in between a child's teeth to portray them as being immature.
215	* ChildlessDystopia: Life becomes miserable without children.
216	* ChildrenAreInnocent: Children are devoid of malicious intentions.
217	* ChildrenAreSpecial: Feats that are exclusive to children.
218	* ComingOfAgeStory: Child character matures into adolescence or adulthood over the course of the story.
219	* CoverInnocentEyesAndEars: Adults prevent children from witnessing an occurring tragedy.
220	* CowboysAndIndians (and variants): Children play war.
221	* DawsonCasting (sort of); adults are cast as child characters.
222	* EntertainmentAboveTheirAge: Children enjoying grown-up fiction.
223	* EntertainmentBelowTheirAge: Although fully capable of extending to adults, children can also enjoy fiction intended for much younger kids.
224	* FirstSnow: Kid witnesses the first event of snowing outside.
225	* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: A duo of siblings respectively consisting of a doofus and a mature person.
226	* FountainOfYouth: Characters regress to an earlier age.
227	* ForYourOwnGood: Something bad happens to a child with good intentions.
228	* FormerChildStar: Celebrity who achieved fame as a child.
229	* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: Small children say malicious things.
230	* GirlishPigtails: Little girl wears pigtails to portray her youth.
231	* GirlsHaveCooties: Young boys think girls and romance are icky.
232	* GlassesCuriosity: Wanting to wear other people's glasses is common behavior among children.
233	* GottaPassTheClass: A kid needing to get a good grade or else risk failing and losing privileges.
234	* GrowingUpSucks: Children who believe that growing older is no fun because of the things they could do as kids that they won't be allowed to do anymore.
235	* HideYourChildren: Stories (usually video games) artificially exclude children from situations in which they might come to harm.
236	* ImaginaryFriend: A child treats a figment of their imagination as their best friend to compensate for their loner reputation.
237	* ImprobableInfantSurvival: Children are immune to death.
238	* InnocenceLost: A child's innocence fades away as a result of a tragedy.
239	* IsThatCuteKidYours: A character or pair of is seen with a child and is asked if it is theirs, even if there's no way it could be.
240	* JuniorHigh: The stage of school following elementary and preceding high.
241	* JuniorVariant: A simplified board game variant made for kids.
242	* JustAKid: Someone is denied certain privileges on account of their status as a child.
243	* JuvenileHell: Juvenile hall is portrayed as an early passage to {{Hell}}.
244	* KidHasAPoint: Children make intelligent observations.
245	* KidsVersusAdults: A setting where the children rival the adults.
246	* LittleBrotherIsWatching: More sinful characters yield in the presence of children.
247	* LittleProfessorDialog: Little kids with worldly experience.
248	* LittleStowaway: Children hide in vehicles.
249	* AMinorKidroduction: A work starts with a brief scene of the protagonist as a child.
250	* MinorLivingAlone: A minor who lives without their parents.
251	* MostDefinitelyNotAccompanyingUs: Children who aren't allowed on adventures find a way to sneak on them.
252	* MostWritersAreAdults: Kids in fiction behave a lot like adults.
253	* NeverLand: An area or town is governed by children.
254	* NoBloodTies: A universe in which parents are not expected to raise their own offspring.
255	* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Child character remains the same age throughout the course of the series.
256	* OneLastFieldTrip: When a character is about to come of age, they return to a childhood ritual for one last time.
257	* OnlyFatalToAdults: Something harms adults in a way that it wouldn't children.
258	* OvernightAgeUp: Children transition into an older age overnight through magical powers.
259	* ParentsForADay: Children play the role of DesignatedParents.
260	* ParentInducedExtendedChildhood: A child is prevented from maturing or even aging by their parents.
261	* PlayingDoctor: Children roleplay as doctors.
262	* PlayingHouse: Children pretend to take on adult roles.
263	* PlotRelevantAgeUp: Character grows older to contribute to the plot.
264	* PrincessPhase: All girls want to be princesses.
265	* PropellerHatOfWhimsy: Propeller hats as a visual shorthand for whimsical and/or youthful people.
266	* ProtectedByAChild: A child jumps right in to save the life of a distressed and threatened person.
267	* PubescentBraces: Character wears braces to portray them as approaching or in the stage of puberty.
268	* PuppyLove: Prepubescent children who fall in love with each other.
269	* Really17YearsOld: A minor pretends to be an adult.
270	* RemoteControlRuckus: Two or more characters (usually children) fight over a remote control when they can't agree on what TV show to watch.
271	* ScareDare: A childhood dare consisting of waltzing into spookiness.
272	* SecurityBlanket: A child's inanimate source of comfort.
273	* ShoeShineMister: A young boy carries a box of shiny tools used to polish shoes.
274	* SiblingRivalry: Siblings who clash a lot.
275	* SiblingYinYang: Siblings' whose personalities contrast.
276	* SkipOfInnocence: Children skip rather than normally walking to portray them as innocent.
277	* SneakingSnacks: Sneaking snacks from the pantry at midnight when it's past your bedtime.
278	** TemptingCookieJar: ...Or any other time of the day, but there's still a restriction on them.
279	* SoapOperaRapidAgingSyndrome: A child character is suddenly older without explanation.
280	* StayingWithFriends: Children stay with their friends rather than parents or legal guardians.
281	* SuperStrongChild: Prepubescents are portrayed with great strength.
282	* TagalongKid: A child tags along with an older team's adventures and often comes off as a nuisance to them.
283	* TeacherStudentRomance: Teachers and students are in a relationship, or at least one side wants to be.
284	* TeachersUnfavoriteStudent: A teacher really hates one particular student.
285	* TeenageWasteland: Kids now have adult power and responsibilities and rule over society.
286	* TellMeAboutMyFather: A child inquires about a parent they never knew.
287	* ThereAreNoAdults: A setting devoid of adults, leaving the population inhabited by children.
288	* ThirteenthBirthdayMilestone: A child's 13th birthday is treated as an important event.
289	* TotallyRadical: Awkward slang is used to appeal to youth.
290	* ToyBasedCharacterization: A person's favorite toy, or the way they play with their toys, says something about their personality.
291	* ToyShip: Children are paired with each other in fandom.
292	* TrappedAtTheDinnerTable: The stock punishment of not letting a picky eater leave the dinner table until they've eaten everything on their plate.
293	* TreehouseOfFun: A treehouse full of innocent childlike fun.
294	* TrojanVeggies: Tricking a child into eating vegetables by hiding them in a different food.
295	* TroubledChild: A depressed child with little emotion and a tragic backstory.
296	* TroubledToybreaker: An abused, neglected or otherwise troubled child vents their anger by destroying toys.
297	* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Children engage in age-inappropriate behavior.
298	* UnbalancedByRivalsKid: The RomanticRunnerUp in a LoveTriangle meets the couple’s kid; drama ensues due to lingering resentment.
299	* UnstablePoweredChild: Empowered children whose immaturity, youth, and lack of coping skills cause problems around them.
300	* WeaponJr: Children have kid-friendly versions of adult weapons.
301	* WaterGunsAndBalloons: Kids have fun outdoors by fighting with water guns and water-filled balloons.
302	* WhenIWasYourAge: An adult complains about how easy the youth have it nowadays in contrast to their childhood.
303	* YouMeddlingKids: A villain blames the young characters for exposing their crime, because the villain would have gotten away with it had the kids not foiled their plans.
304	* YouMustBeThisTallToRide: Kids can't ride thrill rides due to not meeting the height requirements.
305	* YouthIsWastedOnTheDumb: Kids can be quite stupid.
306	* YouthfulFreckles: Children with freckles.
307	[[/index]]
308

Context Main / Youngsters