Tips for Ensuring Fun and Safe Sleepovers

My son had his first sleepover at our house when he was 5 ?. We knew the other child’s family well. They lived on our cul-de-sac. We all felt comfortable enough to let the boys try a sleepover. Before that we’d had some of our sons’ cousins sleep over and made occasional overnight trips to the grandparents’ houses. So I felt we had a few practice sleepovers under our belt.

The age of a first sleepover can vary depending on parental rules and a child’s comfort with sleeping away from home. While homesickness isn’t like other childhood illness in many ways, it is a common occurrence when kids sleep away from home. Whether your child is headed to a relative’s house or a slumber party, it’s perfectly normal to feel a little homesick for family and familiar surroundings.

I share 11 tips for ensuring fun and safe sleepovers for your child in my article on Web MD.