I am very new to the world of hosting sleepovers. My fourth grade son has never shown an interest so I didn’t have to ever put thought into the idea. My second grade daughter, however, is our extrovert and finally wore me down after years of avoiding the issue. She only just recently had a friend spend the night at our house for the first time so this is still very new to me.
Knowing something like a birthday slumber party with more than just one guest is in my future, I did what any mom would do; I consulted more seasoned moms who have been through it. Blogger Ann and others gave me some really good tips to consider so naturally I had to share.
Start with someone you know well– This was absolutely my first rule when it came to even allowing my daughter have someone to our house. Certainly it is also a requirement to me when it comes to letting her go to someone else’s house. Not only do you need to feel comfortable but you also need to be able to be transparent if something goes wrong. Trust is a must. Ensuring you know the kid(s) and parent(s) makes it much easier, particularly for those of us new to this whole thing.
Send a favorite stuffy– This is a great tip for me to keep in mind for my daughter who loves her stuffed animals. They can provide a lot of comfort that a child might need, especially if it’s one of their first slumber parties. Just make sure you remember to bring it home the next day.
Be on call– Despite great intent, many kids do not make it to the actual slumber part of slumber parties. Tell your child it is totally fine if they call you! For the host, be ready to give parents a call if you have a guest who decides they want to go home. Also prep the child hosting that it’s ok if someone goes home early. Parents, be ready to pick up at any hour just in case your little one changes their mind.
Don’t let them stay up all night– I made this mistake and I regretted it the next day when my seven year old was over tired. Staying up late is fun. Staying up too late will have ramifications the next day for all involved. Set the expectation early into the evening.
Have lots of time for winding down– Right in step with not letting them stay up all night, be sure to allow extra time for them to wind down, set up their sleeping areas and all the other bedtime activities. Like with any bedtime, springing it on them will likely not cause good results for anyone.
Take away electronics at bed time– This sort of sounds like parenting 101 but I didn’t think to ask our guest for her ipad before bed and found out they were on it at one point in the middle of the night. I am ok with late night chatting before bed but will definitely be ensuring they don’t have access to electronics for sleeping hours.
Being the hostess can be hard– Ann had an experience where the birthday girl/hostess felt picked on and ended up retreating to her room to sleep. Leading to the mom playing referee to bring peace to the group. Be prepared that drama may ensue and you might have to step in to help with conflict.
Have activities ready– Particularly if boredom begins because that is when trouble and drama can start. Most moms say to let them play and have less of a structure but be prepared with some activities in case they become bored.
Ask about movie watching rules– Having an older brother means my daughter likely watches things that we wouldn’t necessarily have let our first born watch at her age. For that reason, I am always sure to ask parents if they allow certain movies/shows. If your child is the guest, be sure to communicate to the parent if you prefer G rated only etc.
Know guests diet restrictions– Ask parents if there are allergies and also their comfort with things like an extra-large dessert. We like to set up sundae bars for kids and guests but be sure to ask if that will pose a problem.
Strict pick up time for the morning– Make it clear that you will make breakfast and then all kids need to be picked up at 10am (or whatever time makes sense for your crew). It’s likely they will be a little tired and having them hang out too long could then mean drama. If your child is a guest, I’d also recommend getting a pick up time set prior.
Having some ground rules and preparation will help the night to be the success you want it to be!
RELATED:
After Years of Avoiding It, I Finally Let My Daughter Have a Sleepover
Read more of Stephanie’s contributions to allmomdoes here.
