Do you allow your child to sleepover at their friends' house?
By jaz2009
@jaz2009 (117)
Sweden
January 12, 2013 5:41pm CST
My friend's 5 year old daughter will sleepover today here at my place. She might have slept here for a couple of times. But that's not a problem at all, since I really love the child. Her mother and I are good friends, that,s why I treat her like my own child too. She is so sweet, vocal and comes along very well with my daughter. Since we only have one child, i think it's very good for my kid to have someone here, so she will learn how to share things with other children. However, i also felt sorry for the little child and my friend. My friend is a single mom and works as a caregiver and most of the time has a complicated time schedules. She has no choice but to leave her daughter at her friends' house, because she don't even have relatives here.
But the good thing here, the kids enhances their social skills and independence at a very young age. They learn to share their toys and things. You will hear them shouting, screaming, crying ang laughing. And for me, it is so amazing how they handle & change the situation so quickly. I keep smiling everytime i look at them and listen to their amazing conversation. :)
But for you, i mean as a mom or dad, would you allow you child/children to sleep over at their friends' place? What do you think is the right age for kids to start sleepovers?
5 people like this
12 responses
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
13 Jan 13
would be very rare for me to allow that. Id rather let him stay at a cousin house over night.. than a friends overnight. Im very 
protective here.
protective here.1 person likes this
@JamesKYTan (1605)
• Malaysia
8 Mar 13
I have no problem letting my son sleepover at his friend's place. I know some of my son's friend. He sometimes goes to his friends' place for discussion on school project. According to my son some of his friends are from very rich families. They live in huge mansions or look like castles. They have birthday parties in private clubs. My son is a teenager.
@phon4u (2215)
• Laos
13 Jan 13
Your child will learn to sleep outside then she will be used to stay outside when she is grown-up. You will not be worried, she will learn to take care of herself and share with her friends. If I were you, I would think about safety to sleep there or not.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
14 Jan 13
I attended my first sleepover at age 6 or had just turned 7. I was in the 2nd grade. We were all country folk and the family lived down the road from us. I especially liked being with them because there were several girls in the family. My parents agreed to the sleepover because they knew the family to be clean, honest folk. I was not prepared for what I saw when I got to their house, though. We were poor, but this family had so little that it was shocking even to my child's brain. They didn't even have mattresses for their beds. They put their coats down on the bare springs and slept on that. I don't remember what we ate, but they all seemed well nourished. I suppose they eggs from their chickens and vegetables from their garden. I do remember that every thing was spotless. I remember that the girls all had panties made out of the same fabric as their dresses, and I liked that idea. In case you doubt my story, it occurred in the fall of 1941. I don't remember seeing the father. He might have been away in the army.
@ally12 (1202)
• Philippines
15 Jan 13
I have two girls ages six year old and 20 months old. I never allowed my daughter to sleepover to other people's home except with my cousins or aunties. Im just not comfortable with the idea of leaving my daughter just with anyone. I possibly influenced by how I was raised. I was never allowed to go camping,sleepover with friends or to late night parties until I reached college. I never liked that rule before, but now that I am a parent myself I have truly understood my parents strict policy at home. I know we have a duty to develop our children's social skills but I prefer to use other different strategies. I can say my six year old girl has a very good social skills. She can smartly do conversation with adults and well at the right time they will definitely get their freedom. 
If when was it, well if they become responsible enough to take care of their selves with out or with less adult supervision needed.
If when was it, well if they become responsible enough to take care of their selves with out or with less adult supervision needed. @tshihmin2 (186)
• Malaysia
14 Jan 13
Well, it's okay and I don't see any problem with that. Seems like she has no choice but to do it since she is a very busy mum. Moreover, she has nobody else can take care of her daughter. There's shouldn't be any problem when you know your child's friend or parents. But, if they sleepover at the stranger's place then you're taking the risk. These days, anything can happen to your child/children.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
13 Jan 13
I let my daughters spend the night at friend's houses because I knew the mothers so well. They only lived a few houses down the street and the girls had so much fun all the time, I didn't see anything wrong with it. They would spend the night at my house too and have just as much fun.
I think 5 is a great age for this, as long as you know exactly who the parents are and what type of lifestyle they have. Nothing ever went wrong and they have fond memories of those fun days now....they are both in their 40s.
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
13 Jan 13
I have a 6-year old, and he does sleepovers. Although he does it at his cousin's house.
Yes, there are wonderful 'social-development' skills that they do learn when they're away from home at night.
Although, I'm a bit concerned as my 6-year old thinks he's the boss of his 10-year old cousin! He orders him around as if he's the older kid.
@airasheila (5454)
• Philippines
13 Jan 13
good day jaz2009,
maybe for me it will depend on the situation. i will weigh the situation if there is a need for me to allow my child. perhaps if i encounter the same situation just like what you have posted, then i will allow my child. however, if my work is not that complicated then, i won't allow my child since he/she is still a kid. perhaps, the moment my kid reaches the age of being a teenager, then i will allow him/her to sleepover in his/her friend's house. somehow, he/she needs to grow maturely in this aspect.
@smiling_ja (261)
• Philippines
13 Jan 13
I allowed my son to sleep in his friend's house one time when he was 8 yo or so but their place is just near us. Before he goes to his friend for a sleep over or not, I give him careful instructions of the dos and don'ts while in others place. For me it is okay, it helps them interact with others and enhances their social skills, it teaches independence one way or another, and it helps build their character. My son was timid during his early childhood but eventually he got over it, sometimes it amazes me how they keep their conversation lively..I heard them talking about computer games, about their friends and other trivial topics and they giggle a lot, there must be really something funny!
@ZoeJoy (1392)
• United States
13 Jan 13
If your daughter and her friend are good friends, then 5 is not too early for a sleepover.
If you are uncomfortable about having your daughter sleep over at her friend's house due to the schedule and situation, perhaps, you can make an arrangement where the mother can just offer food for the sleepover. That way, it makes it more fair, but at the same time, it doesn't impose on their difficult schedule.
Or perhaps, your daughter's mother could take your daughter, along with her daughter to the circus or to a park. A daytime activity in exchange for the sleepovers at your house.
My daughter had a very good friend when she and he friend were 3 years old. They were like sisters, although my daughter never had sisters, just brothers.
My oldest son formed a friendship with another boy when they were only a year old.
They really could not talk but they somehow communicated with each other. I was babysitting this little toddler and my son and this little boy just bonded, like brothers. They continued to be friends for many years.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-help-your-toddler-make-friends_11532.bc
If toddlers can make friends, then definitely at 5 years old, there can be very deep and special friendships.
Glad to hear that your daughter has a very good friend.
@waleeds (126)
•
13 Jan 13
Well, i'm not actually married but if i were dad, i wouldn't allow any of my kids to sleepover to their friend's home probably becuause i don't like this and not because the friend is bad or something else. unless they attain 18 years of age after which they can decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, i guess i have to teach them about these etiquettes. not to be too strict, even if i had to allow, i definitely wouldn't allow my kid to sleepover if he/she is only 5 years of age. thanks for the question.
