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10 Tips for Sleepovers

April 18, 2022 by Cynthia Wood

Sleepovers are a fun and important part of growing up. Most children, at some point, want to show their independence by spending the night outside of the house and with friends. It may be a nerve-wracking experience for parents, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are our 10 tips to make it safe, fun, and comfortable:

  1. Let the child take the lead on when she is ready. There is no set age for a first sleepover. When she is interested, she will let you know.
  2. A good first step could be a “late over.” A late evening playdate can feel special without the pressure of spending the whole night.
  3. A good first sleepover could be to spend the night at a grandparent’s or other close family or family friend. Being in a space that he is familiar with will help the child feel more comfortable.
  4. It is not unusual for a child to not last the whole night her first time. 
  5. Keep it small. A smaller group will help your child feel more comfortable and will help you if you are the host.
  6. Keep communication open. Ideally, you should know the other parents pretty well. If not, at least have a conversation with them about the sleepover. If you get uncomfortable, listen to your instincts. Check out the parents first. Get an idea of where they will be sleeping and what food will be available. What are the general plans for the evening? Let the other parents know any special needs or concerns you have, especially if your child has any medical needs or concerns. Exchange phone numbers. If your child has a phone, make sure he brings it with him. Don’t feel weird about checking in. Check in as much as you need.
  7. Help your child pack. Make sure she has all her essential needs and anything that will help her feel more comfortable, like a favorite blanket or plush. 

If you are hosting:

  1. If you are hosting, make sure that you have open communication with the other parents. Don’t overthink things. Simple food and activities are fine. 
  2. Encourage your child to be involved in any planning (but again, don’t plan every second). Also, encourage your kid to help clean up afterwards.
  3. Establish a lights-out time and have some night lights set up so that the visiting children can navigate to the bathroom and kitchen.

Sleepovers are a great part of growing up. With very little pressure and a little forethought, they can be a fun time for everyone.

By Bethanie Ryan

Filed Under: Fun, Live

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Who is cutting the onion? 🥲I’m sharing this on the grid, because we all need a laugh.So this is not a poem.It’s about poo.And not even my child's poo.This is a story about the glamorous life of me right now.I'll keep it short, much shorter than my trip to the toilet.Both the kids were having screen time because quite frankly I had had enough and was at my limit, the move has been a lot and we were all a bit overwhelmed.Heidi had decided she wouldn't do her nap in the bassinet & so I strapped her in the carrier, seems to be the norm these days.Only, her nap lasted much longer than I had anticipated. An hour went by & the urge to pee was too great, yet so was the urge to not wake her.After careful consideration I thought I would attempt going to the toilet with her strapped in, surely I could manoeuvre all I needed to, and with a slight sway while weeing she may even stay asleep.Mother's can do anything right....But no, my body had other plans.Code brown alert.Not too far along post birth it was safe to say there would be no holding back. My mind was saying no... everything all postpartum down there was saying hell YES.So here I was, sitting on the toilet at my nanas house, kids out in the lounge while I was stuck on the toilet with my baby strapped to me taking a twosie.Other than the fact this was not my plan at all (and pretty unsanitary), she started to wake, of course she did.Now, unloading a baby from a carrier at the same time you're unloading timber is quite the awkward art. But here we were, my gorgeous little baby in my arms, carrier and pants at my feet with her apologetic mum just trying to finish what she unintentionally started.Luckily it was all smiles from her.I cooed & talked to her like it was totally normal for her to wake up in this little echoey room with her mum feeding the fish, and then it happened...her first official laugh.What a moment to behold.This is the way I live. This is what I do.Baby milestone book: place and date of first laugh 🚽✔️When Drew got home from work I needed a moment, just one moment alone to regain some dignity.I went to hand her over & he said,"yep just give me a moment to pee first" 🫠Art: @this_mama_doodles ... See MoreSee Less

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