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Original poster

eeek! help from mums with older kids please

18 replies

SenoraPostrophe · 24/08/2004 17:18

I've volunteered to write a short article about sleepovers (bizarre topic I know). But seeing as my 2 are under 3 I don't actually know all that much about it. Does this list of "tips" sound OK and can anyone think of anything else? Also I presume we're talking about children aged 7 and up?

  • give everyone plenty of notice when you invite them.

  • don't invite too many children - 4 or 5 is a good number.

  • don't get too involved. Children of this age don't need lots of party games to entertain them. A video, or a couple of good playroom games will keep them happy. (NB flogging playroom games is the whole point of this article)

-umm. That's it so far. Would it be patronsing to mention that house rules should be relaxed and that a party tea is easiest (so you don't have to worry about fussy friends)?

OP posts:
hercules · 24/08/2004 17:32

I have two of ds's friends here now as i type (8) for a sleepover!

They play fine together and dont need any extra effort in that respect.
I buy some sweets they can eat in the bedroom as a special treat.
They bring own sleeping bags.
I get parents to drop them off about 4 and pick up in the morning at 10am.
No late nights , bed at usual time.

suedonim · 24/08/2004 17:36

My number one tip would be not to have sleepovers but I guess that doesn't quite serve your purpose!

Another tip is to make sure they go to sleep a reasonable time, otherwise you'll have a load of overwrought grumpyheads in the morning.

JanH · 24/08/2004 17:40

Be prepared for at least 1 child not to be as brave as it thought and to need to go home at some point in the proceedings?

JanH · 24/08/2004 17:40

What do you mean by playroom games, SP?

Beetroot · 24/08/2004 17:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Miriam2 · 24/08/2004 17:53

Don't do it for boys- SERIOUSLY! Girls will snuggle and giggle, boys jump off the bunk beds, hit each other and are absolute horrors the next morning. Just had dd's first one- one child only, aged 8, popcorn and DVDs, never heard a murmur after ten o'clock. With ds at similar age was up all hours being a witch shouting at them to go to sleep.

daisy1999 · 24/08/2004 19:06

Hadn't even thought about sleepovers OMG something else to worry about. What age do they start and are they compulsory? Seriously does everyone feel comfortable about their children staying at other peoples houses?

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 24/08/2004 19:56

janh - things like table football and table tennis. Admittedly it's really for people with big houses/garages. But it keeps em off the furniture, I guess.

OP posts:
JanH · 24/08/2004 20:02

Oh yes SP, those would be a big asset - if you had the space - but then if you had the space you could put them there to sleep instead.

DS2 has just come in from football training (soaked to the skin of course) and coincidentally announced that his manager has decided, as a team bonding exercise, to have THE WHOLE TEAM sleep over at his house on Thursday. Scuse me while I faint. (There are about 14 of them. One of them is his son but still!) Shall I ask him for tips afterwards?

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 24/08/2004 20:18

think you should give him a medal!

got to have this thing written tomorrow. It's been quite a learning experience!

OP posts:
lou33 · 24/08/2004 21:15

Four or five?!!!!! OMG, I would chew my limbs off rather than have that many to stay overnight! One or two, pref one, v pref none!

tigermoth · 26/08/2004 08:40

14 for a sleepover, jahn - eek!

I would only have one friend, two at a pinch. Not 4 or 5 ever.

Tips?

Arrange for a late afternoon, early evening drop off. Make sure the host child has had an active day so gets naturally tired to counteract the excitiment of the sleepover. Pray the guest child has had an active day too. If possible, take the children to a park or something when they arrive to work off excess energy.

Don't have a set picking up time the next day, but make a loose arrangement to call the parents mid to late morning. That means the children can sleep in and be properly rested if they don't get to sleep too early the night before, but you are not committed to coping with hours of excited breakfast time behaviour if they all wake up early.

anorak · 26/08/2004 09:59

Be prepared to go without sleep.

mears · 26/08/2004 10:02

I think 7 is quite young for sleepovers - earliest I did was 9yrs.

Never would I have more than 2, even for a birthday!

I absolutely hate them

No tips from me then

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 26/08/2004 10:05

lol at you lot!

I have finished my tips-review thingummy. My English teacher always said if you can write convincingly about something you don't believe in then you can write about anything. And I'm half looking forward to dd being old enough now!

OP posts:
suedonim · 26/08/2004 10:24

How about this for a sleepover?!? Dd1's school in Jakarta holds an annual sleepover for the younger years. That's around 150 children!!!! What a nightmare. Dd2 refused point blank to join in and I can't say I blame her. Apparently, the children do go to sleep. Eventually.

JanH · 26/08/2004 11:33

When DS2 went on the school activity trip this year there were approx 10 in each dorm and he says that none of them slept at all the first night. (Though he might be exaggerating....) Have to say the parent helpers were on their knees as they got off the coach when they came back

JanH · 26/08/2004 11:34

Well done btw SP!

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