About Teen-Age Sleepovers

Sleepovers are as American as the local bowling alley. A standard right of passage for kids up into their early teens, sleepovers are usually mirthful events for the young ones while mommy and daddy get little less sleep than normal. But before hosting such an event, there are a few important things to consider.

Parental Supervision

The first consideration for any teenage sleepover is adult supervision. The welfare of all teens present should without question be the first thing in everybody's minds. For starters, parents hosting the night should contact and speak directly to a parent of every child attending. This is the time to go over any special concerns. Special concerns can be anything from temperament to medical issues or emergencies. Setting rules for the night with all the parents involved will alleviate any misunderstandings later. Parents will, of course, need to regularly check in on the teenagers, check that all are accounted for and enforce the law if things get out of hand. This doesn't mean micromanage the night, but it does mean letting everyone understand what is considered acceptable fun and what is not acceptable behavior.

Planning

Teenagers are generally a flexible lot and not nearly as set in their ways as the majority of people are. But having some sort of plan for the evening can make the difference between a great and a bummer of a night. Also, it will just make things easier for mom and dad. First, prepare a list of all kids coming and contact numbers. Also, notify each person attending what he or she will need to bring. But this can only be done after deciding where the sleepover will take place. If a tent is being set up in the backyard, then request everyone bring a sleeping bag, pillow, something warm to sleep in and maybe a flashlight. If the sleeping area is going to be indoors, decide where to put the furniture and when the kids arrive, have them help move it. If there are specific movies to rent, get them ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Lastly, organize ahead of time how everyone will get home the next morning after breakfast.

Girls

For the girls, set them to rapture by having a spa night. Suggest each guest bring a specific item and then place them together for all to use. Face mask peels, nail polish, nail files, face and hand creams and foot scrubs can be used by all. Have a tropical smoothie-making bar where the girls can create their own delicious concoctions. Popcorn and a good chick flick is always a good choice. Party themes can also be fun here, like a party that is a tribute to a favorite color. Or a favorite teen heartthrob night, where music and video play a part. Lastly, a karaoke hour is also great fun as long as it starts early in the evening.

Boys

For the boys, if the pizza is on the menu, switch things up a bit by giving them the chance to build their own pizza muffins. Different sauces, cheeses and toppings will keep them happy. Boys love movies, too, but the choices probably should lean more toward a good action movie. Another good idea is to set up the sleeping area with glow-in-the-dark balloons; turn off all the lights and have the boys take turns telling ghost stories. Set up a digital movie camera and make an impromptu movie with all the teens playing various roles.

Controversy

The latest trend in slumber parties these days is coed sleepovers. But there is a fair amount of controversy regarding this with parents. Most parents didn't grow up with coed slumber parties' and the very idea brings images that they would just as soon avoid. Some say that putting all those male and female teenage hormones is a recipe for teenage pregnancy and a poor choice on the part of parents. Other say it is simply a sign of the times and that with some extra planning, it is possible. Probably the most important part of planning a coed sleepover are the rules. The hosting parents are the law, and asking their child to keep a lookout is a mistake. Explain in no uncertain terms to the teens that if someone breaks the rules they will all be going home, even it is 3 a.m. Also, set up separate sleeping quarters, girls in one room and boys in the other. And lastly, of course, no uninvited slumber party crashers.