Central Penn / July 2012 / Sleepovers: Some things haven’t gone high-tech

 Email  Print

Sleepovers: Some things haven’t gone high-tech

Get out your sleeping bags, your pillow and your favorite pajamas. Grab the remote control, some movies and pop the popcorn.

It’s a slumber party! …Or is it a sleepover?

We asked fans of the Central Penn Parent Facebook page about whether slumber parties still exist these days.

We found the party is still going on at homes across the area each weekend.

Good old-fashioned fun

According to our Facebook moms, a typical slumber party is “movies, nails, video games, coloring, dancing ... boys or girls ... girls are easier to entertain though,” said Monica Johnson.

Keeping boys out of the girl party is necessary, added Janina Fernandez. “My daughter had [a sleepover] when she turned 12. I had my hubby and our two boys stay over my in-laws' so the house was all for the girls. They sang, danced, ran around the house, watched movies, ate and  had a great time. It was fun both for them and me, especially since this was my first slumber party (I never had or went to one).”

Jenn Wise said slumber parties in her home are very girlie. The friends rotate houses when they have the all-night shindigs. While there is lots of nail-painting, ice-cream eating and movie watching, there is a lot of laughter. “Most nights that they're here, we can hear them upstairs giggling at all hours of the night. My daughter begs to do it every weekend so I would say that they are still very popular. “

Shannon Mease said whatever they are called—overnighters, slumber parties, sleepovers—are timeless. Girls of all ages love to eat, laugh and talk all night. “My daughters, ages 8 and 15, both have sleepovers just about every weekend. The younger ones play Barbies, do crafts or create their own play. The older ones play music, look at magazines, and gossip on their phones. But they all enjoy making their own sundaes or ice-cream floats.”

An all-night gossip and ice cream party does not need to stay indoors.

“My daughter wants a slumber party camp-out. We have never been camping before with my 7- year-old, but she is determined to have a bunch of girls sleeping under the stars,” said Theresa Young, “I am thinking we will have that happen only if we are in our backyard. I don't know how girlie these other girls might be and I need a bathroom close by.”

And then there’s technology—and boys

Slumber parties have turned modern in some cases. Wii is popular at the parties Kathleen Staskin hosts for her daughter who turns 13 later this year.

And then there are the boys.

Don’t ever call a boys’ all-night blast a “slumber party,” shared Kimberly Watts, mom of three boys. They are “sleepovers” in the Watts house. “I believe it's just a masculine term for the same thing, athough, they do different types of things simply because boys and girls are different.”

Dad Jim Nelson even referred to the party as a “sleepover.” “My boys are 11 and 13. They have sleepovers and they love it,” he said. “They will play laser tag outside in the dark, watch a scary movie and just have fun. My 13-year-old wants one for his birthday.”

An outdoor game of laser tag is common among boys’ parties. Any excuse for kids to get together with their friends outside of school and stay up late is a great idea to them—boys or girls.

Rebecca Quinn has 10-year-old son who invited four friends for an overnighter. “They played sports outside and tag for hours then game in and played board games video games. They had a blast. I would be sad if sleepovers weren’t a ‘thing’ anymore.”

Tabitha Goodling is a freelance writer and mother of four daughters (including triplets!) from Juniata County.