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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be considering a sleepover for 5/6 year olds?

22 replies

thewayoftheplatypus · 05/08/2018 14:58

My son is turning 6 in a couple of months and has asked for a sleep over birthday party. He has been to a sleep over before (just him and the other boy) but we have never had one here. He would like to invite his 4 closest friends from school, so there would be 5 boys in total (plus his younger brother who is 3, and would be kept out the way!)

AiBu to consider this? Or is it too young for a sleepover party? Would love advice/cautionary tale before I agree!!

OP posts:
HarrietKettleWasHere · 05/08/2018 15:01

It's likely at least one of them will cry and want to be taken home, in my experience. I think it's too young for most kids, if they've never had experience of sleeping away from home.

I wouldn't be bothered at 5/6 for a night away from my parents but I know lots of kids that age for whom it'd be a massive thing.

LinoleumBlownapart · 05/08/2018 15:02

You're crazy.....sorry didn't want to sugar coat it!

Rebecca36 · 05/08/2018 15:04

Not too young for most kids but be prepared for them getting up in middle of the night and playing, noisily, on the landing! There are some children who don't like being away from home of course but if you have one of those, you'll soon know and they can be sorted out tactfully.

A very good idea, hope your son enjoys his birthday celebrations.

Frogscotch7 · 05/08/2018 15:04

I’d pick one kid for a sleepover and see how that pans out first.

CherryPavlova · 05/08/2018 15:04

No. Totally silly idea. Wait until they’re old enough. At six young choose what the birthday party is and tell the child not the other way around.

careerontrack · 05/08/2018 15:05

Terrible idea.

DailyMailFail101 · 05/08/2018 15:10

You can ask the parents but I wouldn’t let my 5/6 year old sleep over because I know I’d be getting a call in the middle of the night to pick him up, it’s a little too young in my opinion but you can ask and see how it pans out.

Twotinydictators · 05/08/2018 15:10

I have DD6 and will be putting off sleepovers for as long as possible! I don't like the idea of her staying at other peoples houses that aren't family/close friends and really don't want a group of girls giggling through the night, bickering, needing stuff continuously, not sleeping etc. Birthday parties are bad enough and they only last a few hours Grin

megletthesecond · 05/08/2018 15:12

Don't do it.
There will be tears all round, theirs at first and yours by 6am.

Camomila · 05/08/2018 15:13

Does he have any conviniently aged cousins? I'd invite them along too and let just them sleep over as hopefully they'd be less likely to be homesick.

BrieAndChilli · 05/08/2018 15:17

DD just had a sleepover for her 10th birthday and it was a nightmare!!!

How about a Pyjama party - pizza popcorn films and Xbox and they all home at 9pm thinking they’ve all stayed really late!!

Gingerninj · 05/08/2018 15:20

Maybe just have them over for the day and then they can go home after tea. Though my DD was about 7 when she went to her first sleepover and she was perfectly fine. 5 might be too young though and with 4 of them one is bound to become homesick and possibly set the other 3 off.

Original poster
thewayoftheplatypus · 05/08/2018 15:24

Thanks for all the comments- universal consensus seems to be that this is a bad idea! We’ll go back to the drawing board

OP posts:
ShakespearesSisters · 05/08/2018 15:26

My daughter had 4 friends stay over for her 6th birthday. I slept in the sofa while they were on airbeds. Apart from my daughter deciding to join my on the sofa during the night, then me getting in the air bed and her following and then me getting back on the sofa ad infinitum it went really well. The 9ther kids were great, all asleep by 10 and woke around 6.30.
Was very surprised how well it went. Could have so easily been a total disaster too.

foxyloxy78 · 05/08/2018 15:32

No don't do it

somewhereovertherain · 05/08/2018 15:46

Do it. Well planned and it’ll be awesome

Twooter · 05/08/2018 15:49

I would do it , just make sure you don’t drink so you can drop them home if needed.

Icequeen01 · 05/08/2018 15:58

I stupidly let my DS go to a sleepover when he was about 5. The poor parents of the other child were knocking my door down at about 3am as my DS was distraught and wanted to come home. He was very reluctant from then on to go on another sleepover until he was about 11!

junebirthdaygirl · 05/08/2018 16:02

Its better to keep something as a treat until they get older as a lot of birthdays to plan up ahead. We started with cousins then one friend then a few then half the bloody school! But we knew who was able for it at that stage.

Shednik · 06/08/2018 00:28

I don't think their parents will agree at that age but you could float the idea see what they think?

Or have a pyjama party with the one you know is ok with sleepovers staying over and the others getting picked up at bedtime?

Shednik · 06/08/2018 00:30

I would decline for my six year old. She's not pfb either.

My eight year old, fine if I know the parents.

BigLass9 · 06/08/2018 01:30

Every kid is different. Some of my DC went to and had sleepovers about age 6 or 7. My boys were 10 almost 11. We declined many before then but luckily boys don't seem to get invited to as many.

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