Teen Girls' Slumber Party 

We're not overlooking the fact that boys also like slumber parties (between us we've raised three boys who all like sleep-overs). You can make the appropriate substitutes for boys: favorite car or truck instead of stuffed animal or Barbie doll, prizes and send-off goodies appropriate for boys, etc. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same-except you may get less sleep if the guests are boys, as they tend to stay up later and likely will eat more munchies. You may also wish to read the article we ran on November, 1998 on Super Sleep-Overs.

A great slumber party begins with good planning. Over the years, our children have had several parties so here's what we've learned to do (and not do). First decide how many guests and then check to make sure there's enough floor space for that many sleeping bags and paraphernalia. Don't invite too many guests; usually four or five friends who get along together.

Not all pre-teens are ready for slumber parties. It's better to check with parents first to see if the child has spent the night away from their parents, saving you a phone call to the parents in the middle of the night and probable embarrassment of the child. Also check to see if any child has any special health needs such as diabetes and make sure you're aware of any medicines and insulin injections that will be needed. Find out if the child gives their own injection or will need more than just your observance. Also find out if there are any food allergies. Is the child a vegetarian?

The invitations should include a list of what the child is to bring-sleeping bag, pillow, pajamas, robe, slippers, a stuffed animal or their favorite Barbie, personal items, and a flashlight (have a supply of extra batteries on hand). Be sure to include the pick-up time for the next morning. Don't hand out the invitations in front of girls that aren't being invited to the party.

Remove all clutter from the party area, removing all breakable items. Then transform your sleeping space into a party area. Attach several brightly colored streamers to the ceiling in the center of the area, then stretch the streamers out to the side, twisting as you go, for form a teepee shape. Create a comfortable place to lounge and talk by piling pillows in all shapes, sizes, and colors from all over the house into a big squishy mound. Put a nightlight in the bathroom and keep hallways lit. When the guests arrive, give them a tour of the "party" area, pointing out areas of the house that are off limits. It's also good to explain the "rules of the house" - no screaming, jumping on the furniture, no television after the video, only one person in the bathroom at a time, and all the other rules they learned in school. Reassure the girls that if they need you (the parent), you'll be nearby. If they want you (the parent) to go away, forget it-you'll be nearby."

You'll need to plan on some late-night munchies. Discuss with your diabetic child ahead of time just how much they may eat. Also ask the parents of any other child with diabetes to instruct their child. Good selections are tiny, quartered sandwiches, mini-bagels spread with low fat cream cheese, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, popcorn, pretzels, small plastic bottles of spring water, etc.

Plan on several games such as a stuffed animal (or Barbie) race-line the animals (or dolls) up at the "starting line," then place pieces of colored paper to mark off 15 to 20 spaces on the floor. Shuffle a deck of cards. Deal a card to each person, then have them move their animal the number of spaces shown on the card. An ace counts as 1; king, queen, or jack have to start at the start line or go back to the start line until the next turn. The owner of the first animal or Barbie to reach the "finish" line wins a prize.

Face painting is always fun. Face paints are available at most costume or hobby shops. Have a teenage sister or neighbor hired to help create hearts, flowers, stars, butterflies, etc. on the girls cheeks. Make sure to supply a mirror so they can see what's being done. When it's time for lights out, tissues and cold cream will easily wipe off the paints so that they don't stain their sleeping bags or pillows.

Flashlight limbo will get a lot of laughs. Turn off the lights and have someone shine a flashlight straight out, about 3 feet off the floor. Turn on some "funky" music and have the girls take turns "limboing" under the beam without ducking forward or touching the floor with her hands or knees. If any part of her body touches the beam of light, she's out. After everyone's had a turn, lower the beam and see who can go the lowest. That girls wins a prize.

Ha! is played by having everyone lie down in a circle with their head on another's stomach. Once everyone's in position, the host girl starts by saying "Ha!." Going in a circle, the next girls says "Ha! Ha!," the third girls says, "ha! Ha! Ha!," and so on continuing to add an additional "Ha!" until everyone gets giggling and can't continue.

Be sure to have a couple of disposable cameras available for the girls to document their fun. As the evening get late, everyone gets into their sleeping bag to watch a favorite video. Then it's lights out for whispering your secrets into the night.

The next morning, serve the Breakfast Banana Splits that we featured in our May, 1999 website. This is when you can hand out super send-off goodies such as scrunchies, hair clips, headbands, or small bottles of bubble bath, sheets of stickers, bejeweled key rings to clip onto their jeans, etc.