Having friends over

[Michael]

My daughter is always wanting to spend the night with her friends, but my wife very seldom invites other children to stay in our home. I really don't understand this, but I stay out of it. Do other parents agree that there should be some equality here? This is a third grader.

 

[Babar]

I don't think people really care, so long as the kids get to play and spend time with each other. Other parents are probably not concerned about the lack of sleepovers at your house, because it's not like it's the only place that they can happen.

 

[Clay]

Maybe she is afraid the kids will wreck the house, and she will not be able to discipline the other kid. The only rule we have, is the fact that we have to get to know the other parents, before a sleepover happens. It might not always weed out the weirdos, but at least we will know a little about where our kid is sleeping over with.

 

[LeonR]

I remember all those pajama parties, or whatever they called them. I was always the dad who did the cooking, but we enjoyed it all. They banished me after I fed them to one end of the house, and I happily agreed as long as they didn't tear up the other end.

 

[Michael]

Well, our little gal was a happy camper yesterday and today. One of her church friends invited her to go skating, to sleep over and to play all day today. She left here on cloud nine.

 

[Ed35]

My wife is the opposite, she likes the kids to come to our house. She tells me that when they come over, she knows the kids are safe. Our kids all have great friends, but you just never know what their family lives are like.

 

[Salazar]

I do think there should be some level of equality. It's kind of like if you had friends who always came over for dinner, but never invited you to their house. Reciprocation is important.

 

[Lorenzo]

My kids are not yet at that point wherein they have sleep-over parties at some friends' house. I remember I was already in High School when my mom would allow us to spend the night at a friend's. It was an unwritten rule that we could only sleep at someone else's house if my parents had already met that friend's parents.

 

[Andersson]

Have you talked to your kids about it? Who says its the fault of your wife and not the fault of the kids, have they ever asked and she said no? Or do they just never ask?

 

[Bobby]

Yes, in a perfect world it should be equitable. But I know there are certain kids I'd rather see staying over here because I don't want my kids staying in their home. I know these parents and although they're okay, they don't keep enough of a watch on things to suit me. Maybe your wife has some doubts about the parents of these kids too.

 

[Donald]

I'm with Bobby on this one. I want the kids at my house where I get to supervise what kinds of trouble they'll be getting into. Luckily, the kids like hanging out here. We have a farm with lots of things for them to do.

 

[meowcow]

Nowadays, it's very hard to keep your kids literally safe. With the advent of the internet children are becoming more and more independent, and the sooner you can create a trusting relationship with your kids, the more they will be likely to trust you in the future. My opinion is, in the end, it will just matter that you make fair decisions and to communicate those decisions well with our children. Treat them as you would adults so they know you respect them even when you allow or disallow them on some things, and they will grow up respecting you too. Just my two cents!