Even as a kid i never understood the trope where the movie parent is like “Sorry kiddo, I have to go to Business Thing so i wont be able to make your Skateboarding Recital” and the kid is like “oh ok” (but secretly they werent!) and the story is about movie parent learning the moral that they should’ve gone to the skateboarding recital because what’s really important is family.
Like as a kid i remember thinking “No i understand the concept of a job and this seems like a perfectly legitimate excuse like they’re not lying and actually going to Vegas or anything they did nothing wrong. Also i dont do activities i enjoy because I wanna see my parents feel proud thats a nice bonus but the main reason is because I enjoy them? If my mom was busy then fine that just means a friend’s family can bring me and then maybe we can play or have a sleepover that’d be fun!”
Movie kids are all like “if my parents aren’t watching then what’s even the point of being the star karate goaler?” while reality was more likely to be “oh thank god they’re not coming I can actually focus on what I’m doing”