Ask Our Expert - Appropriate Age for a Sleepover

May 16, 2008

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Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.


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Ask Dr. Needlman Appropriate Age for a Sleepover

QUESTION


Dear Dr. Needlman, What is the appropriate age for a child to sleep over at a friend's house? — Merit in Belton, TX USA

ANSWER	April 11, 2002


Dear Merit, There really is no one answer to this question. It depends on how well you know the child's parents, your own comfort level, and most importantly your child's comfort level. Some children are quite comfortable with sleepovers as early as age three or four, others are not until they are much older. The right age is when you and your child both feel comfortable. Some children never really like sleeping over at friends' houses, while others are never happier than when they are sleeping over. Either way is fine. You don't need to worry about a child who never wants to sleep away from home, as long as she is functioning well in general and is able to handle the normal daytime separations, such as going off to school, or being cared for by a babysitter. — by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

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