If you have ever had a slumber party for little girls at your home then you know that the most of these end up being a very crabby affair. This is because there is always lots of whispering, giggling and telling ghost stories late into the night. Sometimes there is also a great deal of fighting, crying and tickling and pinching and you name it …
To make sure there’s actually slumber at your child’s next slumber party for you and the kids there are certain tacts you can take.
Shorten the guest list. Handling four kids at night is easier than ten kids. Tell your child that she can invite fewer friends than for a daytime party and then just make the most of it.
Make sure the house rules are laid out clearly and with great confidence. They may test you, but children feel insecure if the adult isn’t in charge — and the more secure kids feel, the more easily they’ll sleep at night.
You should also create a quiet zone in the house that is set up far way from the sleeping area with snacks. Put cereal, muffins and other foods on the table for early risers. This means that kids can sneak downstairs and eat without waking up anyone to be fed (and that includes you…
Make a firm rule that there should “lights-out” at the outset. I let the kids talk after that as long as they don’t make noise or get out of bed. Once they’re in their sleeping bags and it is really dark they tend to stop talking. You can leave a night light on if you have a kid in the crowd who is a bit squeamish.
It is also very important to make sure that each and every one of your young visitors knows where the bathroom is so nobody is stumbling around waking up everyone at night with noise. It might also be a very good idea to not to serve kids a lot of liquids just before bedtime to prevent frequent bathroom visits and even possible night time accidents.
It also helps if you slow down. Even after the best sleepover, everyone’s tired the next day. Plan a quiet afternoon so both you and your child can relax. You can also expect your kid to be a bit out of sorts the next day.
