Recipe for a Sleepover

So I am now the parent of children who are aged 11 and 8.

#2 celebrated her 8th birthday last week, with a slumber party.

#2 is a big fan of the sleepover.

I do not always share her enthusiasm. Because sleepover = very grumpy child the next day.

Now I deal with many MANY grumpy children at work all day long. Therefore I prefer to limit my exposure to grumpy children at home on my days off as much as possible.

I feel that I have come up with a solution that allows both parties to get their way when it comes to sleepovers.

First, during the school year I pretty much insist that the sleepover take place on Friday night.

Why?

A couple reasons:

1. Children have been in school all day, all WEEK for that matter, so they come to you at least somewhat fatigued already.

2. We have Saturday AND Sunday to recover from the sleep deprivation that is de rigeur for a sleepover. (I am sure there are many reasons why when the children go to bed several hours past their regular bed time at one of these functions they feel that they must rise an hour or two EARLIER than they would on a regular day. I will never accept any of the reasons this happens because they are all ludicrous, I don't care what you say.)

Next, call me mean, boring, whatever but I set the lights out and lights out no more talking times. I can not in good faith go to sleep if someone else's children are up and running around my house. I need to sleep, therefore the kids are going to sleep. I generally have a lights out at 11, and no more talking at 11:30. This does help curb some sleep deprived grouchiness, because we are not staying up until 4 AM. I really have not gotten any complaints about this policy from the wee ones.

Last, naps the following day are manditory. No questions asked. Do not even attempt to talk me out of it. This is part of the child price for being allowed a sleepover. #2 didn't even have to be told after last week's party. She went on her own. Bedtime is also early that night.

Since insituting this plan, I have experienced much less grouchiness the following day.

I don't even cringe openly when requests for sleepovers are made any more.

Feel free to adopt this recipe as your own.

Tweak it to meet your needs, but I can not guarantee results if you do.