Sleepover! What age is appropriate?

[Betsy1234]

Hi

Please can anybody give me some guidance. What age (if any) is it ok to let your child attend a sleepover.......at a friend's house if you don't know them and have never met them. This is a friend from school who they are close to and get on really well with and their mum has offered to meet you and swap details etc but only on the day of the sleepover.
Has anybody experienced this and what did you do. Thanks.

Personally I am never happy with this idea, you are basically trusting strangers. Is it really worth it for the child? One or two unpleasant stories have emerged about a male in the house. I Know its a low risk ...

I let my DD2 do this around age 10/11 as we had moved and I knew none of the parents. I didn't want her to miss out. It was all absolutely fine. She was old enough to call me if she needed to (although she never did) and also decide if she didn't fancy a repeat at any particular house (which she did with one family).

Thanks for your replies which I am most grateful for. Like my friends I've asked they are both different 😁😁. My gut instinct I have to admit is no. However, she is nearly 13 which I know is nearly a teen and so I think some people would say that's fine. I also I wasn't allowed to stay out etc etc when I was this age but my husband is making me doubt my decision saying that it's only because of my strict upbringing why I'm so overprotective. Aaraaghhh have to be honest one min I'm saying yes the next no. Help!!

I think 13 is fine. You need to allow children some independence. If she doesn't like it when she is there I am sure she can call you.

Once they are in high school it should be absolutely fine. It would be unfair not to allow sleepovers when all her other friends will be doing them.

You're less likely to have in friendships with all of her friends' parents at secondary school just due to sheer numbers and less parental input required compared to primary. Make sure she has a phone and knows she can call you anytime, sounds like the other mum understands and is making the effort to meet you etc. I'd let her go.

12/13 and with their own phone.

I don’t like them or think friends need to have them.

I wouldn't let my 12 year old stay the night with someone I hadn't met. Can you have the DC over first at yours then engineer meeting the DPs.