Every time I blink my eyes, my daughter is either going to or asking for another sleepover. Her bags have long been packed awaiting their use. She has been doing this since she’s been about four years old and it’s plain and simple, she just loves sleepovers. I, on the other hand, really don’t care too much for them. I especially don’t understand why the girls get together for a sleepover late at night when they are tired and go straight to bed. I know, I know, that rarely happens. They are usually up until two or three in the morning talking or teasing the child that couldn’t keep awake and fell fast asleep. Unfortunately, that is not Sammi, who is truly a night owl. God forbid we have to get her up in the morning after a sleepover, especially if she has somewhere to be. That in itself is a nightmare.
Well, I found out early on that the worst part about having a sleepover is that you’re the last one to find out. Don’t you hate it when your daughter and her friends plan on having a last minute sleepover and ask you if it is “Ok”? Now you’re standing there with these adorable little girls looking at you with excitement in their eyes, hoping to hear the magic word "yes", and all you want to do is ring your precious daughter’s neck. But, of course you say yes because you don’t want to look like the “bad mommy” and say no.
You can’t wait until tomorrow because you are going to lay down some ground rules and inform her that she can never ask you for a sleepover in front of her friends again. Tomorrow comes and everyone leaves and now it’s your opportunity to tell your daughter that she cannot ever, under any circumstances, put you on the spot like that. Your daughter gives you that innocent smile on her cherub face, nods and says, “Ok mommy.” Next week comes and you find yourself right back in the same situation. UGH!
To quote a famous Dutch philosopher, Erasmus, “A dogge hath a day"-- which translates to “Every dog has his day”. I can tell you that my day is coming, because sleepovers are starting to dwindle down.
Friday night my husband and I went out to dinner with friends. We came home about 11:30 p.m. and found my daughter was watching TV with her friends. We said good night to them and went upstairs. I figured they were probably going to sleep over our house since it was late. To be quite honest with you, I was just too tired to ask them and I would’ve said yes anyway if they had asked. As the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” The next morning I woke up and said to my husband, “Let’s see who’s here and if they will be joining us for breakfast.” Well, to our astonishment, nobody slept over.
I raise my glass to “A dogge hath a day”, and mine was Friday night!
