Well…we tried. We tried and failed. A phone call at 1:02 am made that abundantly clear. What was this epic fail I speak of? Little Girls first sleepover.
Starting from the moment she woke up. “What time is L coming?” “How many more hours until L comes?” All day. Overnight bag packed. Sleeping bag rolled up. Both sitting by the door. One very excited little girl waiting to spread her wings.
The friend shows up, final kisses and requests to be good and she was off to her first sleepover.
This presented a nice low-key evening for Husband and I. We had dinner with friends and then came home. We watched Bird Box, the new movie on Netflix with Sandra Bullock. The idea of sleeping in looming before us we snuggled in bed.
RING RING! On the end of the line a very weepy, sleepy voice cracking in tears as she asks me to come and get her. My response. Of course…Mom and Dad will ALWAYS come and get you. That is the truth! We had told her all day if at any point she wanted to come home to just simply call. She rebuffed our offer claiming she is going to be fine. Over and over again we told her. Now the middle of the night Husband and I hop in the van and drive the short distance across town to pick up our night owl. We were met at the door with a burst of hysterics as we collect our beloved child.
The poor kid just could not dig in and sleep. This meant she was up well past 1 and beyond any sort of rational mind in her own home. A strange home of her friend was all too much. It’s ok Little Girl. Mom and Dad will ALWAYS come for you. Learn it young. We got your back. Day or night! We may or may not try another sleepover. For now, she is comfortable in her own bed, in her own home, with her own family who loves her deeply.
It was her first sleepover , rarely anything works on a first time , even adults more often then not fail on their first try of something let alone little kids .
You are such a nice and caring parent !
You know that you a great parent and a person !
I’m not surprised, in that I still remember vividly the first time I stayed overnight with my aunt, an aunt who was at our house several times a week, not a stranger. She had no children at home, and it was eerily quiet, with different smells, unfamiliar food, and both auntie and uncle riveted attention on me, the cot, and night time seemed extra weird. I actually don’t remember if I stayed the whole night, but I know I got my parents to pick me up as soon as possible!! It wasn’t until I had a best friend and a little older, that I started liking sleepovers. Some things you can’t tell until you try, even the child, they don’t know sometimes until they get spooked.
She did ok at camp but then again I was just a few cabins down and there were more girls. More noise and such. We are in no rush. We will try again when she brings it up in few (years?) months?
Aww I don’t blame you. I would have went too. She will get over that.