What age did your dc start having sleepovers at school friends houses?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Just wondering what the "norm" is for this. They sleep at grandparents and on one occasion my best friends house, but I'm wary of them sleeping at school friends houses as I don't know the parents.

6/7 ish for dc2
8/9 ish for dc1

DD slept over at schoolfriend's houses from age about 7 ot 8, DS (8) hasn't slept over at anyone else's house, but I've noticed people seem to wait longer before they feel boys are ready. He has had some friends over, but not stayed at houses other than family.

5/6 here, which actually I thought was a bit early but the kids arranged it themselves and were adamant.

They were fine and have repeated it often.

7

Mine were asked at around 6 but I didn't let it happen until 8. Even that felt too young.

I used to say "Thank you but she still gets homesick so we're waiting till she's a bit older"

It's a ridiculous notion...all brought about by American TV!

My eldest dd (11) has done it loads of times, also accompanied friends on weekends away at caravans etc. I know the parents well.

Youngest (8) has been on three overnights through her sports club, but has only stayed with a friend once, a couple of months ago.

I'm not at all concerned that dd will feel homesick, but I don't know the adults. It's quite a daunting thought to let her sleep, essentially, in a strangers house.

And I disagree that it's brought on by American tv. That's a nonsense suggestion.

I think 7 which is the average age that people have posted on here. Obviously it depends on the child, but a confident 7 year old should enjoy a sleepover without missing being home too much

@BillHadersNewWife seriously, wtf has American tv got to do with the age children have sleepovers at??? I’ve lived in every country in the uk and the general accepted age is 7. The 4 American parents I know are way behind in terms of letting their child develop. Definitely no sleepovers, they didn’t even start potty training until the children were in nursery, way behind in child development

Around 7 with her friend who lived a few minutes away and whose parents I knew well, 8 with school friends.

About 8 or 9. The novelty wore off very quickly for both of them though, they really didn't take to them. It's not about missing home, they have both done lots of residentials, Scout camps etc no problem, but they both tend to want to get off to bed and go straight to sleep, not be kept awake half the night by other people.

Herpes the term sleepover is an American term, previously unused in the UK until around the 1980s when we began to get a lot more American television and culture seeping into the UK.

The idea of kids staying at their friends is not new of course...but in the past it was something done occasionally and usually as a babysitting arrangement.

Not constantly as an ordinary thing. I think it's fine for older children but sending small kids off to in some cases, complete strangers homes, is asking for trouble.

Obviously if you know the family well that's different...but meeting someone a few times a week in a playground as you collect your children tells you nothing about who they are, who their friends and relatives are or what they consider ok to expose your child to.

School one... Reception year- and my nursery aged DD was invited along too.
School two... Year 1.
School 3... Not yet for Yr2 DD, (Yr4 DDhas), but although she's made friends, she's not as close to them as they are to each other.

1. And only with families where we knew the parents.

DD was 7, but I’d only let her if I knew the parents. At almost 9 there are still kids who haven’t and that’s pretty normal too.

I’m pretty sure we used the terms sleepover and slumber party in NZ in the 1980s and we didn’t have that much tv let alone American TV to watch.

6/7 for ds

DS started reciprocal sleepovers with a nursery friend when they were both 4, after they had known each other and been close friends for more than a year. He is now at school and those sleepovers continue but I wouldn't expect any with schoolfriends for at least another year as they are relatively new relationships and are still at the first supervised play dates stage.

8 or 9l think with school friends. Mainly birthday party sleepover s with loads of kids.
Probably younger with nursery friends who's parents l knew well.
I hated hosting sleepovers. No sleep at all l don't know why they called sleepovers really.

My DC1 just had his first sleepover with his bestie and the boys are both six. I was a bit anxious but it went perfectly :) It depends entirely on the child I suppose, some might be ready at five, others might not be ready until double figures.