Preparing for the sleepover, Part 2

Now that you’ve gone through your checklist and decided that you and your child are ready to host a sleepover, what comes next?

Besides survival, of course.

How about a successful evening and next morning?

Parents, if you’re indeed prepared to entertain, feed, put to bed and wake up to your guests the next morning, you’ll need to figure out the following, per Parenting magazine:

• Participants and arrival. One kid or several? And the earliest they should arrive is 5 p.m.
• Select a date. Saturdays are considered the prime night for sleepovers, as young guests might have participated in tiring sporting events earlier in the day (thus promoting the possibility of actual sleep). However, also consider a Friday night: Challengers will be worn out from a full day of school (another aid to sleep) and will have both Saturday and Sunday to recover from the overnight event. Plus, church-going families might require their kids to attend religious services on Sunday morning — thus thwarting plans for later wake-up (yours and theirs).
• Prep the home team: Warn other family members of the upcoming event and arm them well. Rent special movies for siblings or corral a close friend to take them on an outing for a portion of the big night.
• The food. Less-than-healthy snacks are expected and encouraged at sleepovers. Offer easy-to-vacuum grub like popcorn, chips and pretzels. The next morning, rather than trying to win a chef’s contest, just stick to the quick stuff: cereal, muffins, bagels, frozen waffles, all served on paper plates.
• The activities. As soon as the kids arrive, direct them to the ping-pong table or a craft project, etc. Save the main activities -- such as a movie or bowling -- for later, because someone inevitably will arrive after the party has started. And make sure you pace the fun.
• Stay in designated areas. If you give kids the run of the house, you'll have much more to clean up the next day.
• Homesickness: You can try to comfort the sufferer, but don't expect it to work. Experienced parents call the child's family right away. If you can hold down the fort, have your partner drive the child home; it takes less time than waiting for the other parents to get there, and the distressed child will feel reassured right away.
• Bed-wetting. As a precaution, require all kids to use the bathroom before lights out. If the worst still occurs, help the victim maintain his/her dignity by feigning a tipped-over water bottle or soda can.
• Get crucial info. Obtain cell and home phone numbers for every parent. Ask about guests' potential food allergies or other health issues. And get clear directions on how to use a guest's EpiPen if needed.
• Check in regularly: Under the guise of "bringing more snacks," pop in every hour or so to be sure that 1) all guests are still present and 2) everyone generally is getting along.

No sleepover ever goes perfectly, but following the suggestions above will help you survive the night, and maybe even enjoy it -- somewhat, anyway.