Slumber Buddies

Can a Friend Spend the Night Tonight?

By Sharon Waldrop

What do you get when you open the door to your home and find a young guest with pajamas, a fluffy pillow and a toothbrush in tow? The reward is a companion for your child who will still be around to sit with him at the breakfast table.

Hosting a sleepover in your home will give your child a special night to remember. As a parent, you will reap the benefits of seeing your child enjoy a friend while knowing exactly what they are doing and where they are doing it.

A sleepover can be a fun adventure for children.

"Parental participation, preparation and good judgment are needed to ensure that this is a successful activity," says Toni Leonetti, a licensed marriage, family and child therapist in Camarillo, Calif.

The enforcement of house rules can make a sleepover a positive experience for both children and parents.

"My biggest request is for respect and manners," says Cheryl Jones, a mom from Washington. "I want ALL the children in my home, including my own, to say 'please' and 'thank you,' to ask for things when they need them and to not destroy any property."

Chip Ingersoll from Lorain, Ohio, tells his son's guests, "If it's not cool in your own house, it's not cool here." He says he does not experience many behavior problems when children spend the night.

"I have a lot of fun and play around with the kids when they are here, but I make sure they know that I am still in charge, and when I say something, it goes," he says.

The activities that lead up to "lights out" are the most memorable events of the evening. Beware of providing too much fun and, therefore, a difficult "cooling down" period later.

Want to see more?

• Your Child's Overnight Invitation: He's Ready, Are You?
• Not-So-Silent Night: Children and Snoring
• Wet, but Dry: How Absorbent Underwear May Help Your Bedwetting Child
• Talk about it!