My players keep getting distracted

My players keep getting distracted during each other's turns in combat when I'm describing things they think don't apply to them, pretty much all the time. I have tried various things, with iffy success rates. By the way, these are players aged 10-18(a couple of campaigns). They go on their phones, spin their dice like a top, and-especially the younger ones- they talk over me and others. This is more of a problem when I have a bigger group, since I play in a local restaurant that hosts a game night on Fridays. Also, how should I catch up players if they miss one or more sessions?

If it is a bigger group (6 or more) there is very little you can do. Once you get closer to 10 people than 5 you will naturally start having multiple conversations going on at once. I played in a group of 20+ year olds where there was 7 players and the DM and a decent amount of time we had the same thing and we all had much high patience, attention span, and self-control than your group.

You should still try to tell them to pay attention, but don't feel bad if you aren't very successful. Professional teachers often struggle to keep kids attention, you can't expect yourself to be able to keep them all glued to the game all the time. All you can do, is try to keep turns as short as possible and attempt to discipline them if they interrupt / talk over you.  Good luck!

So im starting a group of 12yearolds tomorrow and im going to teach them how to keep the turns short

Quote from EmberoftheStream>>

My players keep getting distracted during each other's turns in combat when I'm describing things they think don't apply to them, pretty much all the time. I have tried various things, with iffy success rates. By the way, these are players aged 10-18(a couple of campaigns). They go on their phones, spin their dice like a top, and-especially the younger ones- they talk over me and others. This is more of a problem when I have a bigger group, since I play in a local restaurant that hosts a game night on Fridays.

Also, how should I catch up players if they miss one or more sessions?

 Just have them level and get loot with the rest of the group. It keeps the bookkeeping simpler, anyway. (I suggest just using milestone leveling.)

I don't know if this is the reason, but I rarely have to struggle with my table paying attention, and I think it's because my DMing style is very "over the top".

I speak fast and slow depending on the tension I want to create. I make goofy, exaggerated voices with different pitches and accents and physical postures and catchphrases, I shout and whisper depending on the context. I make exaggerated facial expression, I gaze and make eye contact with each party member frequently. I stand up and mime what the characters are doing...

Basically, when I DM, I'm a total clown and I have absolutely no shame or self-awareness. It's kind of exhausting, and sometimes I get a sore throat after a session, but boy do I enjoy lashing out like that. And the players are DEFINITELY paying attention :)

Now that I think of it, I'm not sure this will help as I don't think anyone would want to go through so much effort when they DM if they aren't having a blast doing it, especially if you run several tables every week. But if you're willing to giving a try, I promise you it's really fun!

I have been a co DM with Ember and I play a lot with her and I don't think there Is anything we can do to fix it. The table we usaly play with are always all over the place constantly, not just during DND.