Having a 5 year old going onto 19, I have been in some situations and the most recent was the please can I have a sleepover…
What to do, what to do? For me it is easy. My husband and I (still not sure how much I can involve him in my thoughts here) have come to a conclusion. Quite simply, we do not do sleepovers full stop. (See what I did there to focus on my “point”)
As in life there is no black and white, unless you choose the option on your Instagram pic, but even then there are varying levels of grey. The children can have a sleepover at grandparents and selected family members are still open to interpretation.
I remember sleepovers at my aunt (she is older by 6 months) so that makes her 21 and a half. We had the best sleepovers and it was a yearly event that I was so excited to be a part of. Now why would I stop my own daughters from a sleepover? Oh the mischief we got up to. Nightmare on Elm Street was all the rage and so were prank phone calls off an actual landline. Besides the usual reasons, rules are different at people’s homes and whilst I know I cannot control everything I want to try while I can.
I read an article that gave some good ideas as to deal with a slumber party and sleepover and there were some helpful suggestions.
We are now letting her know that we do not let her sleepover at other people’s homes but if the parents are happy we will happily accommodate the children at our house. We also inform the parents and I generally think everyone is on the same wavelength more or less with regards to this subject.
Some suggestions are: Why not shake it up and have a late play date in pyjamas and then the kids go home a bit later past their bedtime. Or have an early breakfast play date where they can be guests in their pyjamas.
What are your thought on this?
11 Comments
Melissa Javan
I agree with you. I’ve been thinking for the past week or so that I don’t want my daughter to be alone to any friend (s) of ours. Nowadays you hear bad stuff happening to your kids and then it’s people you know who are the culprits of the bad – your, meaning people in general.
Gail
Hmmm… must say I am a bit more of a go with what feels more natural here…
We don’t really “do” sleepovers…
I really enjoy “FAMILY sleep overs”… so if the mommy sleeps over too… or if we all sleep over there…
Nothing to do with being related to the hosts… more of a if mommy is friends with the little friends mommy, then we can make all have a sleep over…
That is our current MO.
But we also have scenarios where Grandparents are not available to assist with Baby sitting (and Parents are invited to a Wedding etc, or Year end work function, that will finish at Midnight etc. So then Selected trusted friends are entrusted.
I don’t like blanket statements, and saying NEVER, life doesn’t’ work like that, what if something comes up and you need a friends help. But you said NEVER… so now do you stand by your word, and not go to that Best friends wedding?
Also I don’t go through life mistrusting my friends. I really have Great Friends.
So in these instances, I trust my friend, say a prayer of safety over my child, leave it in the Lord’s hands and let them enjoy the experience.
Chanene
Those are some really good points highlighted and a great suggestion thank you.
Beautifully said at the end especially.
Sarah
Agree totally, my kids never slept over at anyone ( mainly cos they never wanted to thank god!) Dominique is however, according to a little cutie that I had lunch with on Sunday, having a very long sleepover in London!
Chanene
That certainly is a very long sleepover
Faye
Love the idea of a breakfast play date and they arrive in their pjs! A definite NO to the later play date… who would want to do a play date when all the kids are cranky?!?
Chanene
True could make “happy hour” so much more fun if you share it with another mom 🙂
Charlene | High Heels And Fairy Tales
We don’t (or rather, won’t – she’s yet to ask us) do the sleepover thing either. I do love your suggestions though, on the late evening/early morning pjs play date. I think that could work, and be a lot of fun for them. 🙂
Chanene
Awesome thank you, one of the other suggestions were possibly a whole family sleepover, could be quite fun not sure if my husband would agree (hahahaha)
RM
We….as in me…also do not do sleepovers. To many risky things in this world. When she and he is older then we can revisit it but for now…no. Family sleepovers is a different story and will be discussed on a case to case basis.
Chanene
True, case to case basis I think is what it does eventually fall down to.
With technology I envision power point presentations from our kids giving us a healthy debate on why they can sleep over at a friends house. We just need to make sure we are up to date with our presentation and debate skills