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Coed sleepovers: To allow or not?

A sleep over party or night out is certain passage in the life of every child. It is a time when friends especially teens outweighs the comfort of sleeping at home. These days new trend has come where teenagers prefer to have coed sleepovers. This has made parents bit worried about their children, and now it has become the issue whether it’s the matter of right or wrong. For most of the parents who host such sleepover or attend such events have to be extremely careful at such time and need to look if the children are not crossing the limits. For many parents the idea of coed sleepover can have a negative implication and a reason for misinterpretation.

According to many expert’s coed sleepovers is simply a proof of close friendship and nothing else. It’s a clean relation between opposite sex which is so prevalent in today’s society. In earlier days, girls and boys were more separated in activities they perform, where as these days, it is just too common to enjoy sports and share hobbies during and after school together. Many people also have the opinion that coed sleepover can only result to promiscuity and curiosity. In short parents who ask for coed sleepovers are simply inviting trouble.

Positive aspect

1. The positive part of such coed sleepover is that youngsters can learn things like conducting themselves in right way around the opposite sex

2. Children can also learn a fact that relation between boy and girl don’t just involve sexuality or dating but it can also be positive social interactions among opposite sex.

3. With such sleepover children can learn new ways to enjoy as coed group instead of believing that it’s not that interaction and dating is the only way to go.

4. Children can learn how to handle themselves on the issues related to privacy when using bathroom, changing clothes or managing their own bodies.

Negative aspect

1. The negative aspect of such sleepover is children will be in a situation where they will neglect their childhood and fall in social situation which can be embarrassing, or beyond what their emotions can manage.

2. Children will also develop a casual approach towards relationship of opposite sex and will start believing that having a coed sleepover is what once can do without sex protection. This can lead to early sexual promiscuity

Precautions that Parents can take

1. Talk to other parents involved in this situation. You must ensure that they are aware of the parties and will take precaution of not serving them alcohol or will keep on checking the teens.

2. You should be clear about the rules with your kids if you are going to allow them. Tell them that if they break any rules, the sleepover will be immediately stopped and will be sent home no matter what time it is.

3. It is better to offer separate room for boys and girls and set a time for lights out.

4. Make sure that only invited guests come for the party and stay in yard or house. Uninvited guests are not allowed onto the property.

5. Give some appropriate topics to talk in which must be reasonable or tell them to do some possible activities and make sure that there are expected physical distances between boys and girls.

6. Be careful with what things are going on between the kids. Make sure that they don’t do something wrong that can be like crossing the limits. Try joining them for a while and talk to them. Go visit them in some or the other way may be for offering some drink or some snacks and try to keep an eye on them.

7. The most important thing is talk to your teens. Sometimes situation can be where they are not comfortable to join such sleepover and their friends are insisting them to. It can be hard to go against the group but keep in mind that no matter how much ever she shows least interest you should never force for anything.

8. If you are not comfortable with allowing them to attend the party, explain them and tell them why you feel so. Tell them that you are not comfortable for the fact that he is too young for coed sleepover. You can sagest him for some interesting activity which can make him forget the coed sleepover.

If you are going to allow for such sleepover, call up rest of the kid’s parents who are going to be there that time. Talk to them about the pros and cons and have an open up discussion. Know what is running in mind of the other parents and if you are comfortable with their opinion feel free to allow your kid for such sleepover.

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