Slumber Party Time
Don't be put off by the idea of a slumber party.
They are noisy and inconvenient for the grown-ups,
but great fun for the kids. In terms of preparation,
a slumber party is a snap. Here are the basics:
Age range: 8 years and up:
Boys and girls will both enjoy slumber parties
separately, but I do not recommend co-ed parties for
any age group!
Optimal number of guests:
Four to eight, depending on the size of your home
and the amount of sleep you absolutely must have
that night.
Planning the Slumber Party:
Choose a date when you know everyone in the house
can sleep in the next day, since the noise of the
party will likely keep everyone up past the usual
bedtime. Set up in the living
room or rec room -
it's always more of an adventure to sleep somewhere
other than a bedroom. Ideally, slumber parties
should start after dinner (around 8 p.m. and end
before lunch the next day (around 10 a.m.)
Activities for the Slumber
Party:
At my childhood slumber parties, we played Truth or
Dare, gossiped, gave each other makeovers, tried to
guess which boys liked us and giggled a lot. So you
don't have to plan a lot of activities. This is one
type of party where the guests can make it up as
they go along. You can rent movies and have board
games, like Scrabble or Pictionary, available if the
kids seem bored.
Food Ideas for the Slumber
Party:
Traditional slumber party snacks are popcorn, chips,
pretzels, soda or punch, and whatever cookies or
candy the guests have smuggled in.
Your obligations as the adult on
duty:
Greet all the guests and make a point of showing
them where the bathrooms are, as children are often
too embarrassed to ask. Tell each guest (privately
if you prefer) that they can ask you to call their
parents at any time if they want to go home. Show
them where they can unroll their sleeping bags and
change into their comfy
kid pajamas. Greet their parents, and
get home phone numbers and any special information
you may need (food allergies, info about retainers,
nighttime fears, etc.)
Half the fun of a slumber party is
the feeling of being unsupervised, so stay out of
the way for the most part. Do check in periodically,
though, especially to see if any kids are feeling
homesick, or to break up any tensions that may arise
those gossip and Truth-or Dare sessions. Offer extra
drinks and snacks, and of course, remind them to
quiet down or turn out the lights. It's no fun
staying up all night unless you aren't supposed to!
Other than that, your only duties
are to put up with a lot of giggling and general
noisiness.
The next morning: You don't have
to make a huge breakfast, but do have a variety of
choices; cereal, toast, eggs, juice. Breakfast is an
easy meal, with items that are almost universally
popular. Ask the kids to help clean up any mess made
the night before. Before each guest leaves, ask if
they have collected all their belongings. Make sure
your child is there to say goodbye to each guest,
and to keep company with the child who is last to be
picked up.
Barbara Thomas
Courtesy of www.thefamilycorner.com
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