4
We can’t be everywhere to
protect our children all the
time
Some parents feel that we
cannot protect our children in all
situations and that we have to
trust that God is protecting our
children.
fortable with;
4. Explain to your child why you
do not allow sleepovers. One
Mom’s mother held “Cousin
Camps” for all the cousins to
sleepover together at her home.
It was a place she was comfortable with and she knew her kids
were safe;
What does the Bible say about 5. If it is a boys sleepover and
sleepovers?
you have a separate area like a
basement where they could all
Nothing directly, unless you “camp out” invite other Dads to
count Samson and Delilah’s join you.
disastrous sleepover in the book
of Judges 16.
Choosing whether to allow
sleepovers, is a personal
But we do have many guidelines choice and we can only pray
about our responsibilities as par- for wisdom and discernment in
ents. We are to teach, protect, this regard. You only have to
nurture and discipline our chil- “Google”, “Should my child have
dren. Whatever that may mean a sleepover” to see that opinor how unpopular it may seem.
ions, even among Christians,
are extremely polarized in this
Some might argue that the Bible regard.
also teaches us not to fear and
that fear is a sin. But being wise Whatever you decide to do, pray
and protecting your child from about it and ask the Holy Spirit
situations of possible harm is not to guide you for your situation,
necessarily fear.
regardless of what other parents are doing. They are your
Other options
children after all and you will be
There are some tips that other
parents have found work for
them:
1. Have the pizza, popcorn,
movies and treats at your home,
but arrange for parents to collect
their children at 10pm or 11pm;
2. Have the sleepover at your
home, but keep boundaries like
a fixed bedtime;
3. Decide on a phrase you and
your child will know means: “Get
me out of here!” For example,
your child could call and say that
he “forgot his asthma medication”, which would mean that he
was in a situation he is not com-
accountable only for them.
I will end off by saying that:
1. I was molested at a sleepover
and it only happened after I’d
slept over a number of times.
Years later we found out that
some of my other friends suffered the same fate at the same
home;
2. I was always upset with my
parents that we could not have
sleepovers at our home. Years
later I found out that my father
was an abuser himself.
BIO
I am a 37-year old wife to a
comic-book junkie and mother to
two cheeky boys.
I live out my faith in Johannesburg, South Africa and we never
(ever) ride to school on any
zebras. Although that would be
amazing.
You can find my words about my
faith, my fears, my family and my
fun at www.aletterwrites.wordpress.com