wanna go home

This young man comes over to the directors' table every meal, and asks someone: "Can I go home?" - whereupon someone says something (anything, really) or makes a funny face - and then he bursts out-loud laughing and gets a broad smile. At this point he's really doing this as a ritual chance to check in with some adults in the room. We've at least taken it that way, and the drama has been kept at a minimum.