By Janet Mylin, True Girl Lead Teacher
When I was growing up, sleepovers were a constant part of my life. I had sleepovers with Kristin, Mindy, Kara, and Becky all the time. My mom even got me a trundle bed so I could just pull out a bed for whoever was staying at my house that weekend. And the greatest thrill of all was when someone was having a slumber party! Freezing bras, stuffing our faces with candy and ice cream, listening to music, and watching movies would keep us up almost all night long and we loved it.
For me, these were such positive memories. But I have friends whose sleepover memories weren’t the same. They have stories of girls being mean, watching movies they still can’t get out of their heads, and even enduring traumatizing experiences. As a result, these days the opinions on sleepovers and slumber parties are pretty varied. And that’s okay! God is so good to let us know what our kids need, isn’t He?
Whether you let your daughter attend sleepovers or not, here’s one thing I do know: A mom+daughter sleepover is ALWAYS a good idea! A fort in your living room, a tent in the yard, or a night in a hotel are all great ways to connect with your girl.
Here are three reasons why a mom+daughter sleepover is a powerful way to connect:
- Being a little tired can help the conversation flow. You might find that she opens up about happy things, sad things, relationships, and faith when her defenses are a little bit down due to sleepiness.
- You might get a little giddy and goofy. One thing I love about the True Girl Crazy Hair Tour is watching the girls laugh as their moms do silly dances and games with them. It’s good for her to see you be a kid, too!
- Time set apart helps her feel seen. Our girls love it when we set aside time to be just with them. No distractions. No interruptions. Just mom+daughter time for a whole night!
There are lots of ways to have a sleepover with your daughter and I want to offer one more way that could be exactly what you’re looking for. How does a weekend in Washington, D.C. with me, Dannah, Shani, and more of the True Girl team sound? We’re having our first-ever national event in partnership with the Museum of the Bible and we’d love to have you and your daughter join us. Space is limited so you’ll want to register today and make your travel plans. (We have rooms blocked HERE but you’ll need to make that reservation by Oct. 4th.)
I’m bringing my daughter, Eve, with me so hopefully you’ll get to meet her, too. I can’t wait to have a sleepover with her in DC!
Have fun planning your next mom+daughter sleepover!
You are not alone,
