How do you handle the situation where your kid wants to stay at a friends house that you don't know yet?

Question

I don't really want to let her stay at someone's house that I know nothing about, but it's her friend, so what do I do? She is 10.

Answer 1

Meet the parents first. You're the parent; you decide whether your child can stay at someone else's house.

Answer 2

Meet the parents, in their home. Before letting her stay, not at the front door as you drop her off.

Just because your daughter and her friend are... Friends, doesn't mean a thing.

Does her "friend" have: Horny brothers, druggie sisters? A huge dog with Gnarly teeth? A dad that beats the mom? A mom that touches children? A basement full of bodies?

I hate to be gruesome, but you truly never know. It's your job as her parent to make sure she's safe. She's only 10 years old. Get to know her friend's parents, family, and house first. It's not too much, it's not going overboard. It's being safe. I am not suggesting that these people are out to get your daughter, but you don't want to take the chance.

Get to know them, see how your gut feels in their home. If you're not comfortable, don't let your daughter stay there. Have her friend stay at your home (if her parents are comfortable with that, if you pass THIER inspection), or, if that doesn't work, tell her "tough luck, wait until you're both older."

Answer 3

You just say no. You know what goes on in your house but you never know what goes on in someone elses home. When my son was 14 he asked to sleep at a friends home whom I did not know. I spoke to his mother on the phone and she sounded okay and there were 4 other kids sleeping over. She said she was getting them pizza and movies and they were good kids and everything was okay. I called the house after he got there to make sure he was there and everything seemed fine. At 4:30 a.m. I received a phone call from the Port Authority Police station in New York City that I had to come pick up my son as he was picked up with 5 other kids for wandering around the Port Authority in the middle of the night.

Answer 4

I have had seven children of my own and have experienced this a few times. What I did was call the friend's parents to introduce myself and invite their child to come over to my home. You could ask them to meet you at the school where you both might be picking up your children and get to know each other a little bit. Tell them your plans for the night and what their child will be doing with your child. This will show them that you are responsible, thoughtful and willing to care for their child. Then if they show you the same respect you can feel better about your child going to their home . You can also talk to your child about dangers and uncomfortable feelings and have her call you when she gets there.

Answer 5

get to know the family first invite them over for lunch spend some time chatting with the family then when you fill comfortable you can let her go over on play dates but not all night. you can build up to all nighters. and if you feel comfortable and the other parents feel comfortable have the child stay over to your house first. then after a while if you feel good about it let her stay all night at their house make sure you know who all lives there and who will be staying with the children. i hope this helps my mother didn't let me stay all night until i was 13 and she had to meet their parents and talk to them before i left home and when i got to their house. she made me call her before going to bed and when i got up in the morning so she would know what time to expect me home.

Answer 6

it's so common what your feeling right now.your worried something will happen to her but you don't want to come out looking like the bad mom, right?The truth is sooner or later your gonna come across to your child as a bad mom even though your far from it.Believe me,your gonna be the worst in the world once she hits her teens.What you need to do is suggest that the friend come stay with you.Get popcorn & get them to pick out a movie they both wanna see.Then that night just leave them to it!they'll love you forever!If your unable to do that name another night that she can go & in that time you make it your business to get to know these people.Go for days out or invite them to yours for drinks & finger food or if you feel more comfortable a nice meal.Then you like these people she can stay if not your gonna have to say that word that all kids & parents hate, "NO" Good Luck!

Answer 7

I have no problem saying no. You don't know the girl or her parent/s. You could call the mother and talk with her, then make arrangements to meet.

In this sick-o world there is no way I'd let my kids go off to someone's house I don't know.

Answer 8

the age of the girl doesnt matter... you need to meet the parents before letting her go over there... in 1st grade my parents just let me go over to a friends house they had no clue about.... i was exposed to drugs and drinking and cussing for the first time and so far ive had problems with cussing my whole life and drinking has suddenly tried to take me over. you've got to meet the parents or tell your daughter she cant go. would you rather have a pissed daughter or a daughter who's ruined for life??

Answer 9

I think You should ask her if you could meet her friend and her friends parents be for the sleepover or you could drive your daughter to the sleepover and meet the parents and get there home number and just talk to them for 5 to 10 mins.
love taylor

Answer 10

10 is sort of young..i went in the house met the parents and child and got a rundown of planned activities before i let mine.