I feel uneasy about letting my son have a sleepover with family, I am extremely grateful they love him and are wanting him to stay over, but before I answer them, I’d like to know if I’m just being overprotective or not.
Before I found out he had autism, I always thought I’d be fine with sleepovers, but my son is now 3 years old, tries eloping, opening and unlocking doors and windows every chance he gets, he loves water, he has no understanding of danger, he loves turning the oven on and trying to play with the stove, etc… and I no longer feel confident letting him sleep over, AT ALL.
My parents have a swimming pool and they offered to look after him while my husband and I go on a weekend away, and I am just too scared he will venture outside in the garden. They also have big guard dogs that are not familiar with my son, and he loves dogs.
We are visiting other family members too and I know they will ask to have him stay over (we will be staying in a hotel), they don’t have a pool or dogs but I am also scared of leaving with him with them as I don’t know if they will be as strict taking measures to avoid him getting hurt.
They only see him a few times a year so they’re not really familiar with his level of needs.
He’s eloped multiple times and we have had to install extra locks, alarms, make sure the windows can’t be opened, put the keys out of reach, put a lock on the kitchen door etc…
Am I unreasonable?
My son wouldn’t mind staying, he wouldn’t really “miss” my husband and I per se.