Successfully Organise & Host A Sleepover With These Five Steps
One of the milestones in any child’s life is their first sleepover. The moment that your child brings their friends back to your home for the very first time for longer than a sip of water and a few cookies is a big deal, and as a parent you have to make sure it’s a big deal. Sleepovers are a rite of passage; they’re full of midnight feasts and late-night movies and secrets told in sleeping bags. You want your child to remember this moment in a positive way. For them, it’ll be a huge deal that they’ll talk about for a long time. For you, well, it may be a little more stressful than that!
Sleepovers give your kids the chance to socialise in a very different way. They get to be in charge for a change, choosing the menu and the range of movies on offer. They get to decide where everyone sleeps, whether in a bed top to tail, on the floor in sleeping bags or on giant beanbags: see more at fombag.com for this! There are some ground rules, though, and as a parent who wants things to go well, you should try to adhere to them. Five steps to a wonderful sleepover? Here you are!
They Need To Be Ready. Your child isn’t going to cope with sharing their space unless they are truly ready. When your child vocalises they’d like to try it, you should let it happen naturally, usually around seven or eight. You can make it a no-pressure exercise by telling the other parents that they are welcome to pick up their children at bedtime if their children are worried and their children can call home at any time, too.
Limited Guests. For a first sleepover, it’s always better to aim for just one or two friends in the house. This makes it less overwhelming and easier to manage the personalities of different children who aren’t yours. Getting organised with a sleepover isn’t just about the cookies and milk; it’s about managing emotions, too.
Food Laws. Organising food at a sleepover means less cookie dough and more nutritious treats, with none of the above within an hour before bedtime. Unless, of course, you want to be cleaning up vomit. Treats early on mean there is time for digestion and burning it off.
Encourage Activities. Movies are one thing, but if you have a firepit you could sit with the children telling stories and eating s’mores outdoors after dinner. You could also make it fun, decorating cupcakes and making sundaes with the children. Allow your child to dictate to you what sleepover activities they would like to do before the sleepover, so that you can be adequately prepared.
Be Nearby. Your child is going to be the centre of attention, but that doesn’t mean you should leave them to it entirely. Have a code word if things get too busy and make sure that you are close and able to handle it.
It’s a rite of passage, but it needs a little organisation and control. Your child’s first sleepover is the first big thing they’ll do. Let it be the best.