Sleepovers

[Samkung]

My DD is nearly 5 and there's talk of sleepovers already. My thoughts are it is too young just now and also the also I don't know the families well enough. Many of my girlfriends were 'interfered with' as young children and it fills me with dread. Does anyone have views on this or recommendations? I might be being a bit biased here!
Thanks ....

Interested in the response to your post OP. My 5 year old has also been asking about sleepovers. I told her next year when she is 6 (possibly). I think lots of kids love the idea of it but probably not the reality (sleeping in strange house/bed). Though that depends on how well you know the other family, if it was close friends that we/DD had known for years it would be different.

Just found out that two of DD's friends from school are planning a sleepover in the next week (a young 4 yo and just turn 5 yo quite new friends) so will be very interested in how that goes...

Sleepovers at grandparents house (or similar) is fine from that age.

Sleepovers at friends are probably best delayed until 7/8 years old. Not because of "interfering" particularly, but just because I think that most young children find the reality of sleeping away from home a lot more stressful and upsetting than they expect. A sleepover which ends up with parents having to do a midnight dash to retrieve an upset child, is hardly likely to boost the child's confidence.

I wouldn't let mine at 5, I also think all well and good until bedtime then they'll want to go home . I'm dreading sleepovers in general , hosting and letting my child to others. Il feel rude asking to see the house or if they have any dogs or other stuff but I also know these questions need to be asked. Pray to god my kids do not want to go on sleepovers !!!

Thanks for your posts. I don't feel so bad about hanging out for a bit on letting her sleep over. There must be an etiquette for asking hosts these questions without it seeming like a CRB check or interrogation!

We do not do sleepovers after a couple of disastrous ones when ds1 & 2 were younger. I am happy for them to have tea and spend the evening with their friends and I am then happy to collect them for the night. The only exception has been for a birthday party that both they were invited to as I knew the family well.

I would avoid at any age. I recently heard a safety expert speak on this....basically she said you have no control over who is I that house...older siblings, boyfriends etc and the truth is we all have plenty of friends who had experiences of being interfered with,....and the people who do this are predatory and opportunists. I would not hand my child over overnight to anyone but my closest friends and even then I would have to feel very confident about the partner. The truth is it is not rare.....this lady said puberty makes the nicest teen boys capable of doing bad things because the hormones are just raging.....steer clear.