Why sleeping over at a friend’s is a childhood rite of passage.

Kid Culture

Sleepovers are a rite of passage for most kids. And now wonder – sitting up giggling into the wee hours of the night is just plain fun. Still, it’s not every child who wants to spend a night away from home says Michael Thompson, author of Homesick and Happy. “There are some kids who can’t wait to get to somebody else’s house and look around and see how it is and see if the rules are a little bit looser than it is in their own home. There are other children who are more homebodies, who are more cautious and actually they may say to a friend “you know, I love sleeping over with you, but at my house.” Sleepovers are often a child’s first chance to spread their wings a little. ” I just think it’s practice, being outside you family, feeling on your own and dealing with the challenges of different rules, different patterns, not having your mother’s voice as you settle down into the pillow, to learn you can sleep over somewhere without your usual bedtime routine is a sign of maturity.”

The Parent Report’s Expert guest is Michael Thompson, author of Homesick and Happy.

From the nationally syndicated radio show “The Parent Report”, hosted by Joanne Wilson and heard on more than 100 radio stations. Any advice or information contained herein should never be a substitute for professional and/or medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. For more information please review Terms of Service