I am so done with them.
One friend I had to take home at about 3 am because she was scared. Six months later she tried again and I had to stay up with her half the night because she was scared at our house but also scared of getting in trouble if she went home in the middle of the night.
Another friend has slept over about four times over the last year and has wet the bed EVERY time. I resorted to making her sleep on a shower curtain but she still manages to get just enough urine on every blanket and pillow that I have to wash everything. We finally said no more, but she keeps begging Lily and forces Lily to keep begging us.
Then, the best of all. The boys had a friend over. And he had diarrhea. In the bed. In the middle of the night. And he didn't tell us. Neither did the boys, until the next evening when Eliseo mentioned that he'd woken up and his knee was all wet and he thought he'd had an accident but, whew, it wasn't him, it was just that Friend had gotten diarrhea on his knee. This fact was somehow, inexplicably, such a relief to Eliseo that he suddenly remembered to mention it so long after the event. Then I, myself, had to go search and sniff out all the soiled places and bedding and do about 1000 loads of laundry.
And I was so hoping that 2011 would be the year when, at the end, looking back on it, I wouldn't have anything embarrassing or disgusting to remember.
9 comments:
oh my gosh! you've got to be kidding me! gross.
We have a standing rule in our house -no sleepovers.
not necessarily for urine or diarrhea reasons.....but now that you mention it.... I'll have to add those on the list of why else we don't do sleepovers. Yikes!
It's hard. We have had this rule for a few years now, but the kids and their friends still continue to beg. One of Russell's friends even had the courage to call me himself and explain all the reasons it would be so much fun and that I should let him. I was impressed with his courage to talk so grown up to another adult and I was tempted, but I told him that all his sweet talking didn't sway me a bit. the answer was still 'no'.
I know, I'm a mean mom. I felt so mean and strict, but at the end of the day I am happy I didn't give in.
After hearing your experiences with sleep overs, I am now very glad. :)
Also, we have done an alternative to sleepovers, we call a "late-night". Some friends of ours introduced us to it. We drop the kids off at about 6 or so....and come pick them up at 10 or 11. and vice-versa. My kids love it.
I wish sleep-overs weren't part of American culture. It was unheard of in Taiwan. I've never liked it and tried to avoid it, but caved. Those kids can sure put the pressure on. It's especially ridiculous in elementary aged kids. It can be fun sometimes, but the problems usually outweigh the benefits so stay strong, Boston!
Late Nights is a fabulous idea!
Diarrhea on the knee...shouldn't that be a poem?
Diarrhea on the knee
just let me sleep
*I* didn't pee
I think it has potential.
Thankfully, we haven't dealt with the hygiene horrors you've suffered thru, but we are rethinking our views on sleepovers right now. We've always allowed them - provided we know the family well - but we're finding that technology adds a new dimension and a whole new set of potential problems to the mix. Sigh...
Oh! That is SO awful! I used to look forward to Kate's first sleep over, but she was too young for the longest time. Since then, I've heard so many horror stories that I've completely changed my mind about them. Your post has helped reinforce my decision against them. I was recently told by a friend that her kids had a sleepover with some kids that passed on a bad case of head lice. Nice.
Luckily, Kate hasn't even asked if she could invite a friend over to our house to play since we've moved to Moscow, so I don't think I'll have to worry about her asking for a sleepover, at least for a long time.
I don't think I will do sleep overs. I have heard to many horror stories. :)
Maybe if it was a little better known throughout the neighborhood that Rune's mom was known for squashing the dreams of children, there would be less kids wanting to sleep over.
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