Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well I was never allowed to do sleepovers as a child, I think my first sleepover happened around the age of 16.
My mother was paranoid also and she stated to my sister and I that it was for our benefit...that she needed to know the parents of the home we were going to stay to ensure that they had the same values as they held.
Now that I have a child of my own I seldom ever let him sleep over at anyones home (Save for a few trusted friends) (2) and I have known the families since kinder (Our children our now in 6th grade). I allow my friends to have these children stay over about 1 to 2x a month and he rarely sleeps over there.
He usually spends the night at my sisters and loves to play with his cousin so it works out great.
My kids are only allowed to stay at a few friends houses where I know the family well. And it is not often at all!! They stay at my parents for sleepovers about once a month or so.
I didn't start the sleepover thing until about 4th grade. I feel my kids should be at home in their own beds. They can have kids stay here occasionally, but we make them turn the lights out around 10:30 or so.
The thing I hate most when they stay at a friends house is that they are up WAY too late, then crabby as hell the rest of the weekend!! IT ISN'T WORTH IT!!
I wouldn't even consider a sleepover with anyone that isn't family at 5 years old!!!
My girls did. But our friends that are that close are like family. Actually it would be any number of them that would be guardians of our kids if something happens to us. I LOVE MY FRIENDS LIKE FAMILY! Our kids are all comfortable spending time we each others family that it is not a big deal. Them here or ours there. Or the time we were all out to eat and I got a dreadful phonecall and we had to rush to the hospital (sister was just diagnosed w/ something fatal). My friends took the kids right there on the spot as we rushed out the door. The kids stayed w/ them for 2 nights then. My youngest was only 2 at the time and I knew that they were well cared for while I was dealing w/ other problems. But then again we are close friends and have all taken the time to get to know each other very well. More like family than just friends.
Things to consider:
Are there guns in the house? Do people who allow their kids to sleep over others houses even ask this IMPORTANT question?
A very important topic. I don't have guns in my house, but I have discussed with my son what to do if he is with a friend that produces a gun. I have heard of too many kids getting shot by a friend who was "showing" them their parents gun. I told my son that he shouldn't ever be in a friend's parents room and that if the friend ever tries to show him a gun he should tell his friend to put it down, and leave the room immediately to get the child's parents or to call me to come get him. It is a freaky thought but important nonetheless.
It's not about how old your kid is, is about how well you know the other people.
If you approve of the parents, I don't believe there is an age that a kid is "ready" for a sleepover. My daughter is 3 and would love a sleepover. I'd let her if I really really trusted the parents. My cousins daughters sleep here on occasion, but I don't let my dd sleep over there because her parents babysit a lot and her father (my aunt's husband) has a history of child molesting (years and years ago that we know of, but never to be trusted by me again) so I won't let my dd sleep there ever unless I absolutely know she's not bringing the kids to my aunts house. I frequently am at my aunts house but I have my dd under CLOSE supervision while there. This is the point, she's family but my kid is not going there b/c of her father. Other family, no problem. Close friends I know well, no problem. People I don't know, NO. That is that.
I'm glad to see that many of you advise extreme caution about sleep-overs. I think sleep-overs are a lot of fun for kids, but after raising a child and allowing him to go to other's houses, I have had somewhat of a change of opinion about this. (Trust me on this, I was not an overprotective mother.) But really, if you allow your child to spend the night at someone else's house, you need to be VERY sure that you are on the same page with them about what is allowed and what is not etc. Don't assume.
I used to have a friend at church that had four children (teen-agers) and she said their policy was that they were NEVER allowed to sleep over at someone else's house. At the time, I thought that was radical, extreme and waaay overprotective. Now...I don't know if I would go that far, but I now think it IS a reasonable position. Based on my experience I learned that you might be surprised what other parents permit. Again, do NOT assume.
Sometime friends are like family. I have a girlfriend that is like my sister, her husband like my brother. I trust this family 100%. We've watched their kids, they've watched ours. We've been there in times of trouble for eachother. I even attended their youngest childs birth!
I have talked about guns with other parents before. I knew the hubby hunted and made sure all guns were locked up. I've also talked to the kids about gun safety. DO NOT TOUCH. WALK AWAY AND TELL A PARENT!!
If your daughter wants to do sleepovers, have them at your house where you can control what happens. Sleepovers are a very fun part of childhood, in my opinion. Not every weekend of course, but once in a while is great!
Call me overprotective but sleepovers will only be allowed at my house. The only house my kids can have a sleepover at is my mom's.
I agree !
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) But really, if you allow your child to spend the night at someone else's house, you need to be VERY sure that you are on the same page with them about what is allowed and what is not etc. Don't assume.
