This is a guest post from Bunkers, Australia's specialist in bunk beds & clever bedroom furniture.
For the majority of people their first sleepover was memorable for all the wrong reasons. A night away from home
is a big deal at a young age. There are few simple steps that you can take as a parent to insure that your child’s first
sleepover is a blast. All you need to do is read this article.
Ready?
Is your child actually ready for a sleepover? You may want to test the water with a cousin or family friend. This goes
for hosting a sleepover and attending. Is your child ready to entertain a friend for a long period of time? Is your child
ready to spend a night away from home? These are the kinds of questions you will have to ask yourself.
Know the parents and children
You keep your mind at peace you want to know the parents. Talking to them will get you any important information
you need to know to insure the sleepover runs smoothly. This means finding about allergies, phone numbers and
sleeping habits. Every child’s sleeping habits are different. Some like to sleep with a light on, the door open or music
playing. As the host you need to be able to cater for this.
The rules
This is a new house and therefore there are new rules. Don’t assume the child has to follow the same rules you
enforce at home. You’ll need to explain that some rules may be different to what they are used to. Rules may not
seem fun but they insure that everyone gets along fairly.
Entertainment
Don’t let the name ‘sleepover’ fool you. The last thing these children want to do is sleep. There is no such thing as
too many activities. It’s better to over schedule. You want to keep them busy and entertained. This will insure they
remain happy.
Disasters
It’s clichéd but expect the unexpected. You can’t plan for everything. It could be as simple as the child has never seen
a bunk bed in real life before, only on
www.bunkers.com.au If a disaster does
occur then don’t be afraid to end the sleepover, the parents will understand. Know when to throw in your cards.
If all things are going swimmingly don’t be shocked to find wet sleeping bags in the morning. Try to be discrete;
you don’t want to embarrass your child’s friend. Finally, keep the next day low key. A night away from home has
probably insured that the children have not had much sleep. They may appear a little cranky. All you can do at this
point is provide them with a healthy breakfast and send them on their way. You’ll know you've done a great job
when your child asks if they can have another friend over.
