What Is the Right Age for a Sleepover?

If your child comes home from school asking if she can have a friend come over and spend the night or if she can have a sleepover at a friend's house, you might be waffling back and forth between granting permission and saying no. There are many factors that you should consider before allowing your child to have a sleepover, but know that there isn't one age that's right for all children.

  1. Age and Attitudes

    • There's no age set in stone that dictates when a child is ready to host or go on a sleepover. Children develop at different rates so a kindergartner might be perfectly comfortable sleeping at a friend's house while a second grader is still nervous about being away from Mom and Dad for the entire night. Consider your feelings, too. If you think your child is too young to sleep away from home or to have friends spend the night, then you're well within your rights to say no to the slumber party requests. However, most children have slept over at a friend's house by the time they turn 8 years old, according to KidsHealth.

    Character Considerations

    • Before deciding one way or the other, consider your child's personality. If your child tends to be nervous and likes to have you close by at bedtime, she might not be ready to be away from home overnight. Children with separation anxiety might not do well at a slumber party either. Your child might be ready for a slumber party away from home if she's more independent and can fall asleep on her own.

    Safety Awareness

    • Before letting a child of any age go on a sleepover, consider how comfortable you are with certain safety issues. If you know the parents well, it'll be easier for you to grant permission to have a sleepover. Think about how knowledgeable your child is about appropriate safety behavior, too. Your child should be old enough to know not to play with guns, go outside without a parent, answer the door without permission or sample medications that the other family has on hand. If you feel that your child is mature enough to remember your safety lessons, she's probably old enough to go on a sleepover. If you're worried that she won't make the right choice, wait until she's a bit older before letting her go on her first sleepover.

    Habits and Health

    • Though it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with age, you should also consider your child's habits and health before making your decision about sleepovers. If your child tends to wet the bed, she's probably not ready for a sleepover. Health problems, such as diabetes or Celiac disease, require constant monitoring, and if your child is too young to do that on her own, she's not ready for a sleepover quite yet. If you ultimately decide to let your child go on a sleepover, there's nothing wrong with you or your child changing your mind and cutting it short before morning.

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