What are pros and cons of sleepover parties for kids? Before you ban sleepovers for kids (or commit to a house full of kids for a sleep over party at your house), fully understand the positives of slumber parties and also the negatives of pajama parties and help you answer are sleepovers a good idea for children or are sleepovers a bad idea?
PROS AND CONS OF SLEEPOVER PARTIES
Should I let my kid go to sleepovers?
Deciding on whether or not to let your kid go to sleepovers will depend on many factors such as the child’s age and maturity, how well you know the parents hosting the pajama party, and how comfortable you are that your child will be safe.
If you’re wondering are sleepovers safe, let’s break down the pros and cons of letting your kids spend the night with others…
What are the pros and cons for kids who go on sleepovers?
There are many benefits to allowing your child to attend a sleepover with friends. The main benefit is socialization, which plays an important role in shaping children’s attitudes and values. Another benefit is that kids can learn about responsibility by having to take care of themselves and their belongings while staying overnight.
Are there any major cons to allowing your child to go on sleepovers?
The main con is that a child who has just started attending sleepovers may not yet be mature enough to handle certain situations, which could result in trouble. For example, a child who is new to sleepovers may not know what to do if another child starts bullying. One of the other major disadvantages of sleepovers is the inability to keep your child safe when you’re not there, which may be one of the biggest reasons to say no to sleepovers.
Sleepover pros cons vary for each family, but these are general positives of sleepovers, as well as negatives of kids’ sleepovers.
Pros of sleepovers for kids:
- Kids can learn how to be on their own
- Encourages kids to discover independence
- Helps create new friends and memories
- Teaches how to share spaces with others and teamwork values
- Helps kids learn how to manage on their own schedule and time
- Teaches them how to be responsible for themselves, such as putting on pajamas and brushing teeth, keeping track of what they brought to the sleepover, etc.
- Practices valuable life lessons on how to handle situations on your own
- Helps with communication skills, as well as their social skills
Cons of sleepovers for kids:
- Concerns about child’s safety
- May create stress on a good friendship
- Child can break rules that they have to follow at home
- Not enough privacy
- Kids may get scared or want to come home in the middle of the night
- Hard to keep track of foods when kids have allergies
- Noisy kids or noisy activities may be difficult for kids who are sensitive to noises or easily overstimulated
- Not knowing parents well enough to understand their parenting methods and viewpoints on different issues
ALSO CHECK OUT: What To Bring To Sleepovers For Kids
Questions To Ask Before You Send Your Kids On A Sleepover Party
- Is your kid mature enough to handle a sleepover? Do they understand how to stay safe (and what to do if they feel unsafe)?
- Who will be supervising the sleepover party?
- Who will be at the party (children, parents, siblings, other relatives)?
- Where is the party going to be held (family home, home of one of the children’s friends/relatives, hotel, etc.)?
- What time does the sleepover start and end?
- What is the best way to contact the sleepover hosts? (Do you have their phone numbers and email addresses?)
- How far is the party venue from your home? How long would it take you to get there in an emergency?
- Is there transportation provided for your kid(s) or are you going to drop them off and pick them up?
- What’s your child’s/children’s relationship and experience with this person and the other kids at the sleepover? (Is it a longtime friend or someone they just met?)
- What does your child need to bring to the sleepover?
- If your child has allergies, what kind of food will be served? Did you provide the host with the allergy information?
DON’T MISS: Host An Online Sleepover Instead!
Sleepover Precautions To Take
The decision to allow your child to go off for an evening or night should not be taken lightly. You need to think about where you are sending them, who will be supervising and what safety issues you may need to address.
Safety precautions when sending your child off for the night to sleep at someone’s house:
1. Make sure someone is always available by phone in case there is an emergency. If your child doesn’t have a cell phone, give them another way to get in touch with you (smart watch, disposable phone, or a list of phone numbers written down).
2. Check out the house or area where your child will be staying, as well as get to know the people who will be supervising your kid.
3. Get the phone number of where your child is staying. Make sure that your child understands how to call emergency services (like 911) or how to get in touch with you.
4. Discuss any concerns with the sleepover parents/hosts before you allow your child to spend the night. Ideally, you should also have a discussion about these issues with your children.
5. Set a sleepover safe word with your kid. Sometimes, when your kids are in a group of peers, it can be difficult for them to call you and admit they want to come home. Set up a word or phrase that your kid can text to you or call you and say with the understanding that you will show up to get them with no questions asked.
6. Relax and trust your kid. Many times your child will be just fine attending a slumber party with their friends. Make sure your kids know that they can call you at any time of night to come and get them, if needed!
7. Say no. If you think taking precautions won’t work or if you’re uncomfortable with some of the people who will be supervising your child or attending the sleepover, don’t allow your child to go.
If you think a sleepover is the right thing for your family, go ahead and do it! It can be a fun rite of passage for kids. Just make sure everyone understands your sleepover rules for parents and that everyone understands the rules for safety, especially your kids!
Cool! And quite helpful reading this is a parent, to help with my kid.