Questions to ask before your tween has a sleepover

When children get excited about a sleepover, ask them the following questions:

"Do I know the parents?"

It’s not unusual for children to get a sleepover invitation from the friend of a friend. Meet the family and invite the child over to your house prior to the sleepover.

"Will a parent be there?"

Some parents may leave the teenage brother and his friends in charge of the tween-girl sleepover. Find out who will be present. Walk your child to the door, and if a parent is not there, don’t hesitate to take your child home.

"How many children are invited?"

Consider safety if your child is invited to a sleepover with 30 tweens and only one parent. The adult/child ratio needs to be reasonable.

"Are activities planned?"

Overnight is a long time for tweens to be together without structure. Scheduled events help prevent mischief.

"Do you know that I will be available?"

Make sure your child knows she can call you for rescue any time during the night if she is ready to come home.