How to keep teenager entertained on the kids christmas table?

Hi! I'm hosting the big family Christmas this year and as normal the oldest of the children will want to sit on the adults table. Shes pulled the I'm older than everyone else card for three years now and all the cousin are all one year between each other and her as well eg 1,2,3 . The older three have cousins that are allot younger but there isn't enough room on the table so i need to get them to want to sit on the 'kids' table how can i do this please help!!!!How to keep teenager entertained on the kids christmas table?
Aww let her sit with the adults why not? Would it really be the end of the world to allow her to sit with you?,Especially if she's been asking for 3 years whats the big deal ?It'll be Christmas a time for peace and goodwill think about it ?How to keep teenager entertained on the kids christmas table?
Can't you join the tables together?
tell them it's only a dinner, which lasts.. an hour, maybe?
Good luck with that. Bribe her with a new phone, fully loaded. They always fall for that one.
I think its wrong to sit a teenager on the kids table shuffle everyone around and squeeze in one more chair or add another table to the end of the adults table and mix and match and be a family.why make one person so miserable on Christmas day
get some non sugar candy. and get a table cloth made of paper and throw some crayons on the table as well and tada they are entertained.
Just have one table. I hated having a kids table. I always felt left out and all the kids where mean to me. If you are all at the same table you can keep and eye on them.
She won't like that, but how old is she? I remember being sat at the kids table when I was about 13, and my brother and older cousin (aged 14 and 15) were with the adults, and I was left to babysit the little ones (the oldest is 8 years younger than me) so I was not impressed, it really ruined the whole day because I was always stuck babysitting.



Kids tables are never a good idea, in my opinion, because parents will ignore their childs behaviour so long as the teenagers are there, and the older ones will have to do all the cutting up of food and getting them to eat properly, and they won't enjoy it. Either put everyone together, or the three eldest in with the adults, or have three tables, or even have two tables where it's half adults - half kids on each.
Well, really I think she should just do as she's told and deal with it. But, since Christmas is supposed to be fun for everyone, it's nice of you to think of her. Maybe you could decorate the kids' table all cool with place cards stating their name in pretty writing and a different piece of candy or little ';treasure'; for each of them. You could make it sparkly and do a candy cane theme, or throw some confetti on the table. That would make anyone be at least a little interested.. :)



As one of the oldest of my group of cousins, I understand that sitting at the kids' table can sometimes feel like babysitting. But try to encourage her and tell her it's a fun chance for her to spend time with the rest of her cousins. Call it the ';cousins table'; instead of the kids table, if all the cousins are going to sit there. And make sure all the parents are helping out their own children and cutting their kids' food before they sit down themselves so that the oldest child won't be responsible for all of that. They should just all have a nice time together. Make sure she can be with the adults throughout the rest of the night!



Edit: people don't seem to understand the space situation and how difficult that can be. If you've got a big family like mine, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get everybody sitting together at one table. I think, for an hour or so, it's okay to have people separated. Everyone can intermingle at any other time.



Plus, if you put one kid at the adult table, a bunch of other kids are going to want to sit there and be ';big kids'; too. It just doesn't work out well. It's not like the oldest is the oldest by a huge margin, as you said. She will have other kids close to her age that she can talk with.



Good luck figuring this all out! Merry (early) Christmas!
Why 2 tables join them together or if you haven't the room mix and match adults and children its her xmas as well as everybody elses I don't understand why you have to have them separately however many we are we squash up (my table seats 10 at a push) or fetch in the garden furniture and put it all together somehow its not about how it looks its about everyone sitting together and enjoying.
Once they become teenagers the kids table should be over with!!! It's basically forcing the older ones to babysit the little kids and then they have the miserable dinner experience.



It's much better to keep everyone together, but....If you have several teens then have a TEEN TABLE as well.
If they're mature enough they can understand, maybe offer to pay them to babysit the other kids?
Why don't you get three long tables and decorate them Christmasy and then have people pick thier own seats where they want to sit. This way families can eat together. This is why my sister has a buffet styled meal because we spread out throughout her house. The dinning room, the kitchen and the living rooms.

However, if you want the whole family and some friends to eat together in one room. Have three or so tables so people can choose where to sit. Just take away the kids tables. The kids tables were created for those adults that don't want to handle thier children or offend anyone that don't like children at the table. My 10 year old niece eats with the adults buy the way. When I was growing up I sat with my parents and my Aunts and uncles. I never had a kids table. I never wanted one. They asked me if I wanted one a few times I said no I want to eat with you. If you ask your children they would want to eat with thier families.
tell her to get on with it!