Having some of your child’s friends over to spend the night? Hang in there! From the book Trust Me, Mom — Everyone Else is Going (Penguin; $15) by Roni Cohen-Sandler, here are tips for surviving sleepovers with young kids!
• The younger your child, the smaller the group of kids coming over should be. Are the kids 9? Then perhaps three kids. By age 12, perhaps double it.
• Is your child easy going? Are the kids he wants to invite over? Easy going kids are better candidates for sleepovers; anxious or controlling kids may take too much management.
• Know the parents and policies of every family involved, for instance, the kind of movies that are permitted or video games, eating preferences, sleep habits, any unusual needs.
• If your child has been invited to a sleep over, don’t be shy about introducing yourself and even prodding for information on what’s being planned.
• Lay down the ground rules for sleepovers early: Where everyone’s sleeping, what’s off-limits, treating one another nicely and consequences for problems.
• Be clear about pick up time the next day!
• Once you’ve established the framework for the sleepover — let the kids have fun … and hopefully you will, too!