Managing a Kid’s Slumber Party

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.

Parenting Tips
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Should You Spy on Your Kids Online?

It’s a given that we generally know where our children's are each day, whom they’re with, and what they’re doing. However in the virtual online world, where even our youngest children are spending a growing amount of time, we’re often reduced to the role of someone who just helplessly watches. It also does not help that our kids seem to know more about technology then we do.
Today kids live in a cyber-filled world where technology is woven through every aspect of their lives. Most kids are finding friendships, an education and a social understanding of the world online. How the heck do you know what they are learning is good for them?
So how far should you go when it comes to spying on your kid's behavior?
Experts say the worst thing you can do is surprise them. If they know you are spying and you catch them then they may start hiding things from you.
If you are going to watch then be honest about it. They will self-monitor and not do anything sneaky if the computer in your house is located centrally. That way you can casually wander by and say something out loud like 'Hey, what website is that?' without a qualm.
Yes you want to trust your kids but you want to keep them safe. That is why you can take a look at the browser issue to see what websites they visited today.
Unfortunately if you find something they are looking at is a bit iffy it is not the best idea to start quizzing them about what website they are looking at. Relying on their word may not be enough to keep them safe. Don't accuse the kid of being on the computer too much or say 'Don't look at that website!' That will only compel them to want to look at it even more!
If you are really worried there are a couple of kinds of software you can use to check up on your kids. You can get blocking software that lets you create a list of sites and then block unapproved sites.
Recording software records all data that’s sent, received, down — loaded, and viewed. It also takes periodic snapshots of the screen. PCs and Macs have parental controls built into their operating systems, and each of their newest systems (Windows Vista and Mac’s Leopard) offers parents more control than ever.

Parenting Tips
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