This year as we gather to give thanks, I’m grateful to be celebrating Thanksgiving with teenagers.
In my opinion, Thanksgiving is a holiday that gets better as the kids get older. Don’t get me wrong, those turkey drawings traced around pudgy toddler hands are adorable and setting up the kid’s table can be fun; however, I find Thanksgiving with teenagers totally rocks!
If you’re in search of something to do over the long holiday weekend check out our Thanksgiving weekend round-up, Fall Fun Guide and the dsm4kids Events Calendar.
Here’s 7 ways older kids make Thanksgiving great:
1. Teens sleep in!
Gone are the days of 5:30 am wakeups to watch the Disney Channel. I can sleep in on Thanksgiving, or if I want to get up early to start cooking, I can get up when I’m ready – and not because someone is staring at me in the dark and whispering, “mommy are you awake?!?”.
2. They actually care about the menu and will eat (most) of the food.
My teens show a genuine interest in what we’re planning on serving for the Thanksgiving meal. I used to get so stressed out when they were little that they were going to yell, “I don’t like that” or “that looks yucky” after a family member had spent so much time and energy preparing a beautiful meal. Fast forward a few years and they will at least sample most of the dishes being served, accept maybe the Brussels sprouts.
3. Teens can help out and clean up.
They may need a little nudge, but the big kids can be entrusted with a number of helpful tasks when you’re getting ready for Thanksgiving. They can handle fragile dishes and glassware, light candles without burning down the house and fold napkins with a bit of style. Teens can help with meal prep, my daughter is planning to make the pies this year! And they can also clear the table and do the dishes. Sure, younger kids can help with these tasks too, but they take a lot more supervision.
4. The conversation is more meaningful.
Celebrating Thanksgiving with teens means you can have more meaningful conversations about gratitude. Of course, it was cute when they were little and would give thanks for Legos and the I-Pad, but now it’s heartwarming to hear them voice their appreciation for more important things like friends and family.
5. Naptime is for me.
The only nap I must worry about is my own! I don’t have to try to persuade an overly stimulated tot to take their afternoon rest. And, if I do take a nap, I don’t have to worry about the kids running out into the street or licking the electrical outlets.
6. Teens can stay up late and put themselves to bed.
Now that my kids are older, we can stay up as late as we want. We can watch a movie, play a game or just hang out. I don’t have to worry about running a bath, reading stories, or going through any of the bedtime routine. Going to bed on Thanksgiving means saying, “goodnight, I love you”, no matter who falls asleep first. (Okay, it’s me.;)
7. It’s a low-key holiday.
Thanksgiving with teens is relaxed. It’s not Christmas with it’s intense build up and gifts. And it’s not Halloween with drama over who is too old or too cool to go trick-or-treating. It’s Thanksgiving which means I get to spend the day with the people I love, eating good food and being grateful for it all. It doesn’t get any better than that!
