Sleepovers

Sometimes you need to let kids be kids. A sleepover at someone else's house, staying up too late, eating pizza and ice cream and watching movies are part of growing up. We have all done it and all lived.

If you will not allow sleep aways I would not allow the sleep overs. Personally I think that sleep overs are a trade off thing so if I was letting my child over at someones house and they did not allow the same I would take it as rather rude, like my house is somehow not good enough or I am a bad parent. Or I would be concerned as to why you are ok with little girls over at your home all the time but not ok with others watching yours girls, as in "what is going on in your home?" type concern.

Ditto Mallory.

Skip the sleep overs, I do not think you would ever be happy with them.
They are just kids just trying to have fun. If you do not trust others, I bet they do not trust you either. Sounds too stressful for all of you.,

We told our daughter she could attend sleepovers, but no whining and crying the next day or else no more sleepovers in the future.

Honestly-not sure that you should have one. No offense but I don't think it would be very fun for any of the kids. Sleepovers are all about staying up late, eating junk and being silly. Doesn't sound like any of this will happen at your house.

We've had sleepovers since K and daughter is 16 and I still have childrenb (now teens) here every weekend. I love it.

I never expected reciprocation but I would be insulted if you would only let children sleep at your house because that sends a message that you think you are better than the others. How arrogant is that? GEES.

Also, with so many rules and restrictions you have in place as well as your control issues, I don't think a sleepover would be much fun at your house. Yes, of course we have house rules but not so rigid.

Lighten up and let the children be children and enjoy activities for children.

Easy for us, we don't do sleepovers. Unless it is at a very very very close friends or family members house in which we know the kinds of programs and activities allowed, but they are very few and far between.

I agree with the others let kids be kids and have fun! I understand about the movies and any reasonable parent will understand if you don't want your child to watch certain movies and most will set a lights out/quiet time for the night but staying up later the normal, eating treats, etc is all part of the fun.

We've had to say no to sleepovers. Each time my son goes to a sleepover it takes him 2 days to recover. So a Friday sleep over, he's wiped out til Sunday. A Saturday sleepover he begs to stay home from school on Monday.

The ONLY exception we've made was a sleepover on a 3 day weekend with no school on Monday.

We have a 70lb coon hound, so we have that as an excuse not to host.

What Michelle M. said. Exactly.

The fact is I do feel my parenting is far better than some others, and even for people I think are great parents, I don't know how they will manage a sleepover or how my child will react. Thus, I think only willing to be the host is fine. Caring for multiple children under your roof is a huge responsibility and hazard and anyone who is very dismissive of it as such is proabably not taking it seriously enough for me to feel my kid is safe or happy. Don't feel bad about that. There are plenty of houses I would not want my child playing at, let alone at night with the adults sleeping or doing who knows what.

I think you need to treat it like any other playdate. Start slow with one or two girls you know very well and whose moms you know are responsive. Set some clear rules about lights out, etc. And give it a try. If it goes well, you can pick and choose sending your daughter to someone else's house.

I have a 7 year old and we have managed to avoid this so far, but the day is coming I know. Right now, I basically have told my daughter she isn't old enough yet. When she does get an invite, I will treat it on a case-by-case basis and talk with the parents before I make a decision. I will just say, I don't know if am am comfortable, and I don't know how my daughter will do, so I am asking some quesitons." How many girls? Who else is in the house? Will you have a bedtime? What movies? Etc. I might even ask if they have smoke detectors!!! It's my kid and I should be able to ask whatever I want if she is in someone else's care - or that is not the house for me and my child..

IMO sleepovers are not for little kids. I think we're waiting until tween years - 12-13 until either of the kids sleepover at a friends home. They can stay at family and OUR friends homes, but not at their friends homes from school that I've barely said two words to their parents. They can have playdates that last late, and maybe even put pjs on, but I'm picking them up before bedtime! I

We nixed all sleepovers for many many years - except at my brother/SIL's house and my very best friend's house whose kids were the same age as mine. We reasoned that there's no way to control who ever else may come in to another person's house there would be no sleepover at a house where there's older siblings (I can't control their friends) or if we didn't know the parents well. So that was 99% of the people my kids wanted to sleep over with. As for neighborhood kids - we told our kids they can stay late at eachothers house, in the Summer play outside late, etc - but sleepoevers were not neccessary. We did allow certain particular kids to sleepover at our house - but limited it severely - based on personality, and the other sibiling in our house. If the kid was annoying I didn't allow sleepovers. ;o)
We are entitled to make up the rules - its our house and we pay the bills.

I loved going to sleep overs. My mom hated having them at our house, but my dad also had to get sleep to go to work. He had a job where if he was tired it could cost him or someone else their life. On occassion I did get to have them however. I would suggest your house so you can control the schedule. I had so much fun at sleep overs growing up and I can't wait til my kids want to have them. Any more kids aren't safe doing a ton of things so why not host the children that you know and like and go from there. I would start with a little one first with a few girls and then get bigger if she wants too.