Help! Need to do something special for my 12-year-old cousin.

[Viriditas]

My mom called this morning and told me that my cousin's husband just left his family. So my cousin and her 3-year-old and 12-year-old are coming here tomorrow and staying for Christmas. My brother and his family are already staying at my mom's, so I invited my cousin and her kids to stay at our house.

I feel so bad for all of them. I can't imagine what they must be going through. I know my cousin will be comforted by being around all of us, especially my mom, who is like a mom to her. And the 3-year-old will have fun with my 2-year-old son and my nieces, 3,3, and 5, and he'll have fun playing with my son's toys.

But I'm really worried about the 12-year-old. Her father just left her and now she has to spend Christmas with a bunch of adults and 5 kids ages 5 and under. She knows my mom pretty well, but she has only met the rest of us a handful of times. I think for most 12-year-olds this could be pretty excruciating. I don't know her very well, but I want to do something special for her, to make her feel loved and comforted. If anyone has any ideas for what I could do for her, I would really, really appreciate it!

[nextcommercial]

It may be too late, but can you find one of those gingerbread house kits? My daughter and I do this every year and I always buy extra candy at Walgreens to make it prettier. (Jujubes are fun) That will be a fun project for your two to do.

Making "special" hot chocolate together. Just buy a few ingrediants and try them out til you have discovered the perfect mix, then make some as gifts for the neighbors.

Basically, just do something Christmasy together, and she will enjoy it. She might even feel like talking about it a little too.

[ank220]

I agree with the pp. Do something "Christmassy" with her - bake some cookies - cut outs with frosting and sprinkles can be a lot of fun for everyone! If you can afford it, ask her if she got something for mom and sibling yet - if not, maybe set a $$ limit and take her shopping.

Even doing something like renting a movie that would be something she could watch (i.e. age appropriate for her but not neccessarily for the young ones) and making a night where ya'll stay up later than the little kiddos and eat junkfood while watching the movie can be a nice bonding moment for you guys.

[Viriditas]

Thank you for your suggestions. They're all great. I will definitely do the baking thing! And I love the gift shopping idea, too! I hope they can all have fun while they're here. What rotten timing for something like this to happen.