tips for a sleepover

[Franny]

Somehow I've got roped into inviting 4 girls back for a sleepover to celebrate DD's birthday.

Any tips for getting through the night?

I am thinking, without being too boring, of making up a few ground rules:

be nice to DS even though they find him annoying
no arguing or being grumpy
bed by 10-ish

What do you think?

I'm also thinking of having the parents give them a little tea first, they could have popcorn here and watch a movie, play out the back if it is nice or make things like bracelets or pictures?

Am I mad??

[S-J]

Dont expect them to go to sleep very quickly is all Ill say. DS has had friends over to sleep (just one) and its hours before they fall asleep!

[Adelelee]

Buy PLENTY of wine (obviously for you, not the sleeping over children) xx

[Dr Spouse]

Send the parents home early... Tire them out in the afternoon, relaxing evening, bedtime story, keep popping back to tell them to be quiet!
Don't let them call home at bedtime (unless they aren't well and want to go home obv!) or they will get more homesick.
If you can let them lie in that would be lovely (we always seem to need to be out of the building by 10am )

[jamsplat]

watching this thread with interest
DD1 is going to have a sleepover to celebrate us finally moving into our house, she's been planning it for months bless her and wants to invite about half the school as far as I can see, its a small school but still thats not happening

I've suggested she starts with the 2 other girls in her class, and I've agreed to popcorn and nail varnish everything else is still up for debate....

[thirzasmum]

Is don't do it not the answer you want?

[popinjay1]

Every single sleep over the girls have ever had I have always said the following day never again.

Pretty much every one has resulted in them not going to sleep until the early hours :-/ and me getting very stressed.

I wish you luck with 4 sleeping over. The max we have had is 2.

Not what you want to hear I know but be prepared. Although I know a lot of other people have had better experiences with them so maybe it's just my kids :-D

[Tekkencat]

in bed by 10 yeah ok that may happen - asleep wont

have lots of food and drink to hand - I wouldnt count on the parents feeding them - fill them full of carb laden pizza (see above note re sleeping) and popcorn

Film sounds good - but dont expect them to sit still and watch it

lots of make overs things - hair nails etc etc / making bracelets sounds good too /

as for not annoying little bro - erm nope that will happen (surely its a big sis and her friends job to do so)

Sorry not to be much help - but been there done that and never ever again in numbers more that 1

[Katoid]

I had a sleepover for 4 in Jan and they were great! Watched some of movie with popcorn then they played on DD's karaoke machine and put on the disco ball in her room they were in bed by 10 (but I let them have some 'midnight feast' snacks - that I pretended I didn't know about) and they were all asleep by 11 - DD woke at 4 and woke one of her friends but I heard their chatter and went in to tell them to get back to sleep! Overall they were great, but we had done a bowling and party tea first so they were pretty shattered..

Good luck, your DD will love it!

[Franny]

Deep breath.... it is only one night. Glad to hear of *some* positive stories. Hope I'm one of them. Will report back if not too traumatised.

[Sam]

Deep breath.... it is only one night. Glad to hear of *some* positive stories. Hope I'm one of them. Will report back if not too traumatised.

Yes do, good luck!

[Superkat]

Be prepared to send a tearful, homesick child home! A couple of times we have had to send a child home, once his mum collected him and another time I left him home. Sometimes they just need home to their own house before they will settle