Sleepovers What Age?

My kids have been having sleepovers since they were 4, but it's always with close family friends who we know very well and trust.

If you're not comfortable with a full sleepover, how about a midnight party? The boys get together to play, do everything just like a regular sleepover, but around 11pm they go home. That way they sleep in their own beds and everyone's pretty happy.

We just hosted a sleepover for my son's best buddy a few weeks back. They are both 7, and only now are they "ready" for sleepovers.

My son is 11 and will not sleep over someones home. He likes his own bed. He even does not like anyone sleeping here. He does not like his space invaded. He did sleep over my close friends house once or twice, then he always called to come home. I was never a huge fan of sleepovers. My older daughter hated sleepovers. I think 4 is way to young. Tell her no, maybe when he is older he can but not now. My son gets asked all the time, I just say well when he wakes up at 12am can you give him a ride home....LOL. The answer is always the same.......uuuuummmmmmm no. LOL!!

I think it depends on the temperment of your child. Some kids are just fine to be away from home overnight at an early age, yet some even as teens don't enjoy it. When my hubby was a child, he hated to be away from home or even have someone stay at his house. He REALLY liked having his own space. When I was a kid, I LOVED staying at a friends house, more than I liked having them at mine. My son is 5 yrs old, but has been sleeping over with his little friends since he was 3. Of course, these are families we know WELL and trust as if they were related to us. And he LOVES having friends stay over as well....in fact, last weekend I hosted a sleepover with him and two of his little friends, he then spent the next night with a DIFFERENT friend, then I had he and that same friend here the third night (Yep, I AM a sucker for punishment LOL). But seriously, the kids all know one another, all the families are friends with one another and so on.

If YOU aren't comfortable, you have every right to say no. She should totally understand. I have one friend who literally can't sleep well unless all her kids are under one roof with her and she knows that they're safe. So its all about personal comfort. If you DO decide to let him sleep over, of course assure him (AND the mom too, this way she doesn't worry that she will be disturbing you) that he can call at any hour to come home if he's unhappy being away.

i think that 4 is fine - if the kids are ready...why don't you offer to have the sleep over at your house and just tell your friend that your son is a little apprehensive about sleeping somewhere else.

Standing rule in my family is this. At 4 you can spend the night with family but it isn't until 10 that you can spend the night with non family. We treat it like a right of passage turning double digits.

By 10 children are better at keeping boundaries and can really express themselves if something happens that makes them uncomfortable. With 10 chldren in the house at one time it gets interesting because at one point the were all under 10 and as each reached 10 we would have sleepovers for them and they could sleep over someone else's house too. The little ones would anticipate their turn to do this. It was nice to watch them have something to look forward to besides 18 or 21.

You have to do what you are comfortable with, but my kids slept over at other people's houses from the time they were 2 or 3. I think it's perfectly fine and normal for 4 year olds to have sleepovers, if you trust the mom.

Let them sleep over and enjoy the break!

I allowed sleepovers for my kids when the parents were friends of mine. We began at 5 years of age with Friday to Saturday sleepovers. No school nights and we would meet sometime on Saturday to get our kids back.
It worked out very well with the two children whose parents I trusted.

It depends on the child, I would say, and also on the parents of the other child, but my son, who is not quite three and a half, slept over at his friend's house about a month ago and it was great! My friend, whose little girl is the same age, offered to take him and I said sure! The kids had a great time, slept fine and all was well the next day when we went to pick him up.

We get this question a lot in our workshops that we teach and I always recommend the "1/2 sleepover" (dinner, movies, jammies... but then go home at bedtime). I also suggest to parents to have a PLAN in place on what your policy is for sleepovers... as it will happen sooner or later that
you will be put on the spot about a sleepover and without a plan in place you may feel pressured to make a decision that you have not thought out
entirely. Once they hit grade school.... watch out! The sleepover invites start coming in.

I waited until I knew that my son was an age that he could tell me should something go wrong. He's now 7 and had two sleepovers at his best friends house and all is well. :D

I think 4 is ok when it is a family friend and you are there to ease the transition.I do not think it is ok to sleepover at a daycare friend at that age when you do not know the family well. And I would never make a child this young stay over anywhere unless they were willing.
To just stay over with a school friend, I would recommend 7 or 8 depending on your child. Many sleepaway camps start taking kids at 7 or 8 because they are developmentally ready to be away from home.

Wow! My daughter is 3 3/4 and we are just starting drop off playdates! I wouldn't even consider a sleepover at this age unless it was with family or for emergency circumstances. I don't think of myself as overprotective, but I can't imagine letting my daughter sleep in someone else's home at this age.

We have sleepovers all the time, since my daughter was 3, but only with cousins. so its a little different. But with my son who is now three, I still am not ready. I just tell my sister in law that I am not ready and she gets it, but she never stops asking, I think its her way of reminding me that he is always welcome.
Now that my daughter is 5 1/2 we are talking about sleepovers at friends houses (friends that we are extremely close), we talk about it but haven't committed yet as I am still nervous.
If I had to pick an age i would say 6. but then who knows when my kids get to be that age.
I would say go with your gut and reassure your friend that its you who just isnt ready yet.

This one can be hard. I have a neighbor that wants my boys to come for a sleep over, they are 4 and 6, and I feel unsure. My husband thinks I am being silly. I think for me it comes down to how well I know the parents. I let my boys spend the weekend with a good friend when they were 2 and 4, and had no problem with it, because that friend was like family and I knew how they would be cared for. For me it all comes down to trust, but I know at some point I will have to let go a little. I am not sure yet when that will be :)

I think it depends on the child. Our daughter did not start sleep overs till the summer after 1st grade and she wanted to go. Before then she was not really interested.

You will know when YOU are ready, based on how well you know the parents and can trust that your child will feel safe.

It depends on your son. Has he spent the night away from you (with a grandparent or someone)? If so and he does well, then give it a try. Reassure him that if he gets scared or feels like he really want to come home, he can call you at any hour.

My personal thought is that four is a little young, but if your son wants to give it a try and you're comfortable with it- go for it and plan a dinner with your husband. Just be prepared for a 1 am phone call- I did it to my parents at 2 am, but they came and got me!

Good Day,
I agree that 4 is kinda young, but if you truly trust this other mom, I would trust her to carefully watch my children and allow it. Just don't make it a weekly habit! Also, you could have her kids sleep over at your house also. I allowed my 4 yr. old to do a couple of sleep overs with her older sister; and they both had lots of fun. It is a memory for them to cherish; and you can use the ideal to get them to be on the best behavior! Before I allow a sleep over, they must clean their rooms and be good. I also host some sleep over and join in the fun. I enjoy hosting a tea party for my girls and their friends. Just don't have too many at one time! Good luck in your decision. May God bless you all.
Sincerely,
Kathy N.

I don't think there is a set age. If you are very comfortable with the family and your son seems ready... then sure. I like to keep checking in. Even when my kids are 13 and 14...lol!

My son is 3 1/2 and has had 2 of his friends over for sleep overs and has had one sleep over at a friends house. I would not allow him to go to just any friend's house but I have a couple close friends who I trust with his life. My son loves sleepovers and I look forward to many more to come.

Is a sleepover something your son is interested in or is he nervous about it? If he is excited about it but you are too nervous, maybe you could host the first sleepover so he sees how they work.

I would say around 10 years or older. Even then some kids have separation anxiety and the parent has to be called to come pick-up. Four is way too young. Play dates for that age.

Blessings....