Would you let your child have sleepovers at friend's houses?

I'm not a mother myself but I do have three stepchildren. Obviously anything regarding sleepovers was up to their parents. I'm not really sure if it was something they did a great deal of as they were growing up but whenever the question came up of them going to sleep round a friend's house, my husband and their mum considered it carefully and if they were comfortable with it, then the kids were allowed to go. Now they're all old enough to decide for themselves, and so far everything has been fine. I'm glad that they have these great childhood memories, as do me and my brothers and sisters. But I do know that sadly, not everyone has been so lucky. So I really don't blame parents who are a bit on the wary side of letting they're kids stay over at other people's houses.

My husband and I have three children between us. The oldest is at sixth form now and while we're careful about who he comes into contact with, we know that we don't have to supervise him the way we have to with the younger ones. They are allowed to have sleepovers, either at our house of at their friends but obviously it's only with people we know very well. That's just common sense.

Hmm... I think I'll let you all know when I have children! Haha! For me and my sister, sleepovers were great fun and something we enjoyed doing throughout childhood. Either us going to stay at someone else's house or a friend/cousin coming over to ours. It's left us with great lasting memories but I know that not everyone has been so lucky, and the world that we live in we really do have to be careful. But I wouldn't want any children that I have to miss out on having a brilliant childhood and doing fun things. It's about getting the balance right.

Yeah, I'll get back to you when I have children.

OK a non parent here! I don't know what I can add to the conversation but it's a very interesting debate. As kids we were allowed to stay at the homes of family members and close friends. If I did have children I would be the same as I know and trust my close family and friends very well. Obviously I would be more hesitant if it was an acquaintance or a distant relative I didn't know very well. But I know people who won't allow their kids to have a sleepover at anyone's house. I do wonder if the children are missing out but I would never tell anyone how to raise their child, and this is a decision that only the parents can make.

This may not apply to me considering I don't have kids yet. maybe I'll feel differently if I do. But I wouldn't want any kid of mine to feel as though they're missing out, so sleepovers might be allowed but only if I feel super comfortable with the people who's house they're staying at. Family and very close friends, yes. School friends, will have to get to know the parents first.

I had sleepovers and they were a lot of fun. I'd have really missed out if my parents had said no because they feared the worst in every situation.

I'm a mom of two young boys, and while they have stayed over with their grandparents, my sister and very good friends, I don't think I'd want them staying anywhere else. When they get older, they might want to stay over at friends houses, and that's something me and my husband will have to deal with when the time comes. But so far they've shown no interest in doing that and neither have they asked us to have one of their little school friends come to stay. There's never been an urgent situation that's come up where we've had to leave them with someone - anyone! In an emergency, my boys grandparents, aunt or my best friend will be around so there's always someone I trust who they can go to.

In my line of work _ I work with children - so I have first hand knowledge of what's out there and bad situations that children have found themselves in so obviously I will be even more cautious about protecting my children.

I grew up having sleepovers, either at someone else's house or having friends over to stay. It was always a lot of fun. I think during the time I was growing up people were more open to these sort of things and weren't always thinking about the dangers of everything. I do allow my boys the same but I think with them it's different because they're very streetwise for their ages plus they only stay over with people I trust without question like close family members or lifelong friends. I certainly wouldn't have them staying over at some random's house (even though some of my best friendships have been with 'randoms' but obviously I wouldn't take such chances with my kids!)

I'm sure there's a lot of people who will oppose my choices but each to their own. Childhood is fleeting so I want my kids to have fun and have as much of a funfilled childhood as possible - like I did. But of course there has to be responsibility and caution and I think I exercise both.

I've got two kids who are of 'sleepover age.' I'm sure as they got older and more into their teen years, they probably will want to stay over at their friends houses. I want my children to have much of a carefree childhood as possible. I don't want them to grow up fearful and anxious. But I'm also well aware of the kind of world that we live in, and it just takes one horrendous moment to ruin my children's lives for ever. So it's a question of getting the balance right. I have no problem them having sleepovers with family and close friends that we know very well, and likewise those children are welcome at ours. But for anyone else my children will not be staying at their houses .