To hate sleepovers

[ThePan15]

Summer holidays have rolled round and the pleas for sleepovers have begun. My 12yo DD loves having her friends round to stay but they are always so loud, stay up too late and the next day is always a tired one.

I want her to be happy (I do honest) but I find them so exhausting! Is it just me?

She is my youngest so I wonder if I’m just at my tether as I am now so much older but must say have never been a fan - the balance that with encouraging friendships and all.

For me this kind of thing is all about setting my own expectations and making life easier.

Hopefully they will be settled down before one am, rather than everyone in bed asleep before eleven.

The music needs to be off at 9:30, or whatever, until then it is going to be loud. Make sure I have loop ear plugs handy and set an alarm to make sure it’s quiet.

If I provide decorations, snacks, games, entertainment, age appropriate treats etc. in the room, the chances of them trashing outside of the room is smaller.

Since they will be tired today, let’s have a duvet day, have a takeaway and watch a movie rather than trying to do anything.

I can’t say they’re my favourite thing but I don’t hate them because I don’t try and keep the normal routine and treat it like a special occasion.

They are exhausting! I don’t know what the solution is because I don’t think it’s fair to ban them.

I think the key is just to go to bed yourself and leave them to it tbh

I limited sleepovers to the school holidays. They do enjoy them, and as PP have said, I largely leave them to it.

By the age of 12 they were a doddle.

I only allowed one friend at a time anyway and by that age, they were independent so no bother.