Tomorrow's Momversation is all about a tween's rite of passage: sleepovers.  And while sleepovers are super-fun for the kiddies, the thought of a gaggle of squealing, chattering middle schoolers can seem daunting to even the most brave-hearted parents.  So, we at Momversation offer some activities to entertain the kids so you can keep your sanity. 

• Food.  Allow the kids some creativity by letting them top their own pizzas, popcorn, cupcakes, or sundaes. 




• Crafts.  Some not-so-average crafts include jewelry-making parties, decorating trinket boxes, and tye-dying t-shirts (parental supervision highly recommended!).




• Movies:  Rent fun (but not too scary or racy) movies.  Commonsensemedia.com has, well, common sense ratings of movies.  It's a good way to get the kids quiet and focused.  Heck, they might even fall asleep (naaah...).




• Games:  The old standbys include Truth or Dare and Ouija boards.  Decide in advance if you want to encourage your child to leave these by the wayside (dares can get rather... daringly scary).  Instead, have group games like Taboo or Guesstures on hand.  For early-night fun, host an outdoor treasure hunt to help the kids release some energy.  Make sure that prizes are available!




• Themes:  Upgrade the sleepover party with a theme:  spa, chocolate, 80s, fiesta... then go all out!

Luckily, slumber parties are more about staying up late and hanging with friends than structured activities, so most kids won't expect lots of games and activities.  Just relax, have fun, and then get some sleep!