OT- Advice for dd's slumber party

[luvmy3jewels]

This isn't Disney related, but I'm hoping the Disney moms out there can help me with a dilemma that I have. My dd's 8th birthday is quickly approaching and she has decided that she wants to have a slumber party. She has a circle of five friends that she has been close to since last year, and I know all of their parents fairly well. This year, the girls are all in the same class and there are two more girls that have become part of the group of friends. I do not know these girls parents and have only seen these girls a couple of times.

DD has asked to hold the slumber party at my family's vacation home (at the beach), which is an hour away. I would have to drive all of the girls there and bring them home the next day.

My first question is, would you have a problem with your dd (or ds) going to a slumber party and hour away from your town if you knew the parents involved?

The second problem that I have is that I am not inclined to invite the two "new" girls, since there parents don't know me and I don't know them. However, I'm afraid that it will hurt their feelings to leave them out. And I know that they will be invited to some of the other girls birthday parties (which are within a month of dd's party).

Thanks for any advice/suggestions that you can make. My kids are just getting old enough that issues like this are arising.

 

[mamacatnv]

If I knew you - no problem. Unless of course I knew you and there was no way! It happened with one of our neighbors (the chick our stupid neighbor married). She wanted to take my DD along with several girls to the lake for the day for her DD's B-Day. Lets see; diabetic out of control and prone to seizures, vehicle not registered, outstanding warrants (self professed) for unpaid tickets and more kids than seat belts. Ummmm, no, Definatly not.

If I didn't know you only after a lengthy conversation. I would invite the 2 unknows and maybe enclose a note that in order for the child to go you need to hear from the parents so that you can open up the communication and let them know what is on the agenda etc.....

 

[EthansMom]

I have a DS7 and DD4.5.

Maybe I'm a little overprotective, but I'm not sure that I would feel comfortable with DS7 going to a big sleepover party.... I'd be okay with a sleepover with just one or two friends, if I knew the parents AND they were going to be close by in case DS needed to be picked up in the middle of the night. But a sleepover with 7 or 8 friends that is an hour away wouldn't be something I'd want him going to.

If it was my child's birthday, I'd say "Pick having one or two friends for a sleepover OR doing something local with all seven/eight friends."

Note: My answer would be different if the kids were older.

 

[tlbwriter]

No, I wouldn't allow DD to go, even if I knew you. I'd just have the party at your own home. What fun is a beach in November? I'd let her have a day at the beach with her friends some other time, and let the more overprotective parents come along if they choose.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

This isn't Disney related, but I'm hoping the Disney moms out there can help me with a dilemma that I have. My dd's 8th birthday is quickly approaching and she has decided that she wants to have a slumber party. She has a circle of five friends that she has been close to since last year, and I know all of their parents fairly well. This year, the girls are all in the same class and there are two more girls that have become part of the group of friends. I do not know these girls parents and have only seen these girls a couple of times.

DD has asked to hold the slumber party at my family's vacation home (at the beach), which is an hour away. I would have to drive all of the girls there and bring them home the next day.

My first question is, would you have a problem with your dd (or ds) going to a slumber party and hour away from your town if you knew the parents involved?

The second problem that I have is that I am not inclined to invite the two "new" girls, since there parents don't know me and I don't know them. However, I'm afraid that it will hurt their feelings to leave them out. And I know that they will be invited to some of the other girls birthday parties (which are within a month of dd's party).

Thanks for any advice/suggestions that you can make. My kids are just getting old enough that issues like this are arising.

What's the plan if someone gets homesick? If you're willing to do a midnight drive home I say go for it. If

We did DS's 9th birthday party at a Great Wolf lodge about 3 hours away -- but we only invited 1 friend who has slept at our house probably 50 times. We also invited Grandma, but I was pretty confident in her behavior too .No way I'd take a child I don't know very very well that far away.

Last year I had to pick up my 8-9 year old from 2 sleepovers -- they started telling ghost stories etc . . . and suddenly he wanted mom.

This year I took another friend of DS's (almost 10) camping and had to have him picked up. Luckily we were only an hour away. Also luckily when I called to let them know we were coming, the other parent offered to pick up -- I can't imagine breaking camp in the pitch dark (while trying not to wake up families around us), waking up my child (it was just me and the kids), and then driving back to the city.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

Thanks for all of your replies! I appreciate the suggestions/advice/input you all have.

To explain a little further, the girls that have been friends since last year have had sleepovers/slumber parties together several times. To my knowledge, there have been no problems with homesickness or any other issues during past slumber parties. Several of these girls have stayed over at our house, and dd has been to their houses as well.

We thought that having it at the cottage would be nice because there would be plenty of beds for everyone, lots of things to do, and dd really wanted to have her party away from her little brother and sister (who want to be the center of attention when her friends are over). My dh would stay home with my younger two, while I would take the girls to the party.

Several of the girls have dance tonight, and I am going to try to talk to their parents to see if they are OK with the idea. I had even thought to invite one of the other moms to come along with us (if she wants to).

Thanks again for all of your advice!

 

[Vijoge]

We live in IL but I don't mind a bit if my two come. They're 9 and 11 but the 11 y/o is pretty immature so she should fit right in. Just let me know where and when and I'll have them there. Could you possibly keep them for the whole weekend?

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I have a DD 7. If I knew you well, I would let her come. If I had not met you, then no. Although we have been to the Outer Banks the past two summers so if you are going there, I'll let my DD come! How fun one of those houses would be with friends. I do think I might have one of the moms with you in case of emergency.

 

[dislal]

I think it would depend on how well I felt I knew you. I can think of some of my kids friends parents that I wouldn't even have to think about it and some that I would say no way. So maybe just invite them all (even the two new friends) and let the parents decide. Would you have enough seats for everyone or would you need another parent go with you?

 

[love3kids]

My daughter is now 13 but I have never been a big fan of sleepovers!!!! We never had them unless they were family.My daughter could do any other type of party within reason. I believe a comprimise might be what you need right now.The girls are still pretty young and I just think sleep time is private time. Again that is just my opinion! Alot of my friends think I am a little silly about it,but for our family I got remarried and had 2 babies right away so it just was not condusive to our lifestyle. But with that said my daughter has had some pretty AWESOME!!!! birthday parties! If you talk to your daughter I am sure that you all could come up with some really awesome ideas that would make her very happy!!! As for ideas I could suggest spa parties if they are girly. Or something not so girly if there is a mix. You could rent a limo take them out to a movie and dinner of course your daughters favorite!!! They could go bowling and dinner or they could stay home and do somethig really awesome!! The ideas are endless!Again these are just ideas.And if a sleepover is the way you go then for you I am sure it will be awesome but I would suggest staying closer to home! One last idea you could rent a hotel room close to home and you and a few good friends could chaporone.That could be an alternative the girls could swim you could get pizza and snacks and the adults could have a glass of wine cause noone is driving! And if you do not drink then sparkling cider is delicious!!! Take a video camera the girls could make a music video you really could have alot of fun!! ENJOY!!!!