Well we had my dd's slumber party last night. And although the party before the sleepover began (when the boys were there) was wonderful and fun, the sleep over really disappointed me quite a bit. The main reason is i can not believe how misbehaved these kids were. Now my dd is not perfect and all children are hyper and loud with all the friends around, i get that. But these were not things i would consider normal behavior as a guest. First i caught TWO girls steal some of my dd's things and put them in their bags. There was a friends dd that slept over and she was much younger, only 5, so they took her bunny that she needs to sleep and refused to give it back, they hid it and would not even listen to me when i told them to give it to her, I stayed up for 2 extra hours with her searching for this thing! I called 2 parents, no answer about 8 pm, because the kids just down right refused to stop being nasty to me and everyone else. I told them no more soda last night after 8 becuase 1-they were too hyper as it was and 2 because i had thrown about 10 out already cuz no one remembered who was who's, even though i supplied markers and stickers with names. I told all the parents that pick up was around 11 cuz we had somewhere to be. Well its now 1 in the afternoon and i still have a house full of kids and no answers at homes. I just had to make them all lunch too, which i was trying to avoid cuz i thought 2 meals was very reasonable. I told them no soda with breakfast, i had plenty of milk and juices and one girl said she was only gonna drinks soda and took one out anyways, when i asked her to put it back she opened the can and poured it on my carpet. What in the world are these parents teaching their kids about behavior in others houses? Or do they just not care? I will never have another sleepover and i hate saying that. I had so many as a kid and although there was bickering from time to time among us, there was never such disrespect to the parents!

By Feona on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 07:27 am:

Oh my. Sounds unnerving... Hope you recover soon..

By Karen~moderator on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 07:56 am:

OMG, I've never even heard of a bunch of kids that young acting that way!!!!!

I certainly wouldn't have any of them over anymore. It's sad for your DD that her friends are so ill behaved, but I'm sure this will be a learning experience for her too.

I think I'd have to tell the parents that their children were disrespectful and behaved badly.

I'm sorry things turned out this way.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 08:29 am:

Good grief! My kids' friends have never acted like that at our house. Just poured it on the carpet? Wow. Might not be responsible for my actions if that happened to me. You must be exhausted.

By Trina~moderator on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 08:40 am:

OMG! {{{HUGS}}}

Mental note: NO sleepovers!

By Texannie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 09:05 am:

Oh my. I haven't had a slumber party for my dd yet, but tons of sleepovers, and have had several slumber parties for my son and I have never seen that kind of behavior!!! That is just awful! I would certainly tell those parents. I would have also left a message and kept trying those parents last night so they could come get those little brats!

By Texannie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 09:05 am:

btw..what did your dd think of all this?

By Melanie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:25 am:

I am speechless!!! I have never seen such disrespect from other children! That is just horrible! And still having the kids there two hours after the party ended shows exactly who those kids learned that kind of disrespect from. Sad!

I am also curious to hear what your daughter thought of their behavior.

I am so sorry. ((((HUGS))))

By Momaroze on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:36 am:

Oh Kenna, all that effort to give your daughter a birthday to remember and what did you get in return from these rascals. If your daughter has a really nice friend that you get to know in the future stick to 1 friend sleepovers. Sounds so stressful! Hugs to you!

By Tink on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:42 am:

I am so sorry you had this happen. I was just reading this with my mouth hanging open. I can't imagine a child of 8 or 9 acting like this, much less several of them. And I can't imagine, as a parent, not being able to be contacted in the case of an emergency. I'm so sorry that the kids, and parents, made the party so much more work than it had to be. I hope your dd is able to remember the fun parts of the evening, and, remember, there are well-behaved kids out there somewhere. My mom always said they are so much worse when there is a group of girls and there is one bad influence. Is it possible that there was one girl that some of the others were trying to impress?

By Amecmom on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:54 am:

And I thought English girls were so proper ... I'm sorry that this turned out to be such a disaster for you. Did you end up inviting the girl you posted about earlier?
Don't give up on slumber parties, though. When you have a good group, they are great fun.
Ame

By Momaroze on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:59 am:

Yes, I agree don't give up if you enjoy slumber parties. I don't think a slumber party would be something I would enjoy doing. That's just me, I don't mind b'day parties but by the time the party is over I am happy to see all the children gone because I am so exhausted by then!

By Mommmie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 11:36 am:

Eek-o-rama.

I have had a couple of moms tell me they have hosted birthday slumber parties that turned wild. Then the next year they have a party and then ONE child is invited to spend the night (not publicly, of course). Lesson learned, I guess.

One party I was told about was the 10th birthday slumber party for boy-girl twins and each invited 10 kids. The got a limo and picked all the kids up and then went to the two story house and the boys had a floor and the girls had a floor. Afterward the parents who were there could only shake their heads at what happened at that party. They couldn't even verbalize the chaos.

I will not host a slumber party for my son. Boys are just as wild in packs as girls are. I have kids over all day - 4 kids, 6 kids over and it is very difficult to maintain control with a large group. My son exhibits behavior I have never ever seen him do before when he is around a big group. The packs bring out the worst in these kids.

And as for parents dropping off the face of the earth once the kids are installed in my home. Very common. Drives me nuts, bec I can't send them home.

Some day you will look back and laugh at this. Hopefully.

By Emily7 on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 11:36 am:

I hope that you make sure the parents know exactly what their daughters did. That is horrible. I would have been in so much trouble wiht my parents if I acted that way at someones house. I am surprised you didn't pack the kids up & take them home last night!!

By Mommyathome on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 12:13 pm:

Oh my goodness....that is horrible. I would have been VERY upset.

I told my girls no sleepovers until they are older (they are 4 and 5 now)....maybe I'll extend that even longer!

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 12:44 pm:

So sorry. Sounds like you know who not to invite again.

By Kate on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 12:45 pm:

I cannot fathom all this. Were these all British girls or were they American military kids? They wouldn't tell you where the bunny was for TWO HOURS? She deliberately poured soda on your rug in complete defiance? I think as each infraction occurred I'd have sent that child home immediately. If no one answered I'd have asked the child to give me another number to try or a relative's number. If they refused I'd have said fine, get in the car I'm taking you home and if no one is there and you still don't give me a phone number for someone else to take care of you, you're on your own. I wouldn't have actually left them at an empty house, of course, but I'd have threatened it! You could always dump them at the police station in that instance, which should be another threat they may have taken seriously. Did you leave messages saying come immediately to pick up your child? How many girls were there? Were they ALL awful? How was the poor five year old?

I guess in the future, I would refuse admittance to my home unless you specifically speak with each parent as they arrive and deliberately ask for every phone number possible, explaining that you NEED to be able to contact them in case there are conflicts or injury, etc.

I truly am shocked. I've never known this type of behavior truly occurred.

By Coopaveryben on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 05:39 pm:

Sorry to hear it went so badly. I can't believe they acted like that, some girls are mean at a sleepover but never around or to the parents! I can't imagine parent's being that late to pick up their children too. Not that it matters but were most of these children from base? I would just expect military children to behave better than that. I hope you DD had fun anyway.

By Texannie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 06:04 pm:

Mommmie, that is so funny that you say that about not having a slumber party for your son. My son's slumber parties have been some of the easiest parties I have ever had. I am just dreading the day that my dd wants to have one. Her friends can't be together for one hour without snarking at each other!

By Bobbie on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:35 pm:

Well, How did it all turn out in the end? I only do slumber parties of about four girls. Any more than that it ends up nothing but drama. And I am sorry you had to go through all of that.. sounds like a bunch of out of control kids to me.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 12:54 am:

I found some pictures today of my older dd's 8th or 9th birthday. Will have to see if she remembers! LOL! We had 3 other girls at our house besides our 2. They were all so good. I looked at the pictures and smiled because I have fond memories of that party! Particularly fun was frosting cupcakes. They all decorated their own and they were all different. I'm so glad I took pictures.

By Ladypeacek on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 03:02 am:

Yes they were all american military girls. I am still fuming though, lol. I spent most of yesterday in my chair trying to calm down! I was so happy that it was over, The parents were all about 3 to 4 hours late so i didn't to go to the bazzaar like we planned. I will not have another slumber party! One at a time from here on out!

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 07:45 am:

3-4 hours late? How rude is that? Good grief. I would have been steaming, too!

By Debbie on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 08:48 am:

Well, all I can say is Thank God I have boys!!! I just can't understand this type of behavior. I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to have another slumber party!! I am sorry you had such a bad experience. How did your daughter deal with all the bad behavior??

By Texannie on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 10:24 am:

Did the parents say anything about being so late???

By Colette on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 10:52 am:

What a bunch of brats. I wouldn't rule out slumber parties in the future but now you know who not to invite.

By Bellajoe on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 11:00 am:

That is so rude! I am speechless also! I went to a ton of slumber parties as a kid, and yes we were rowdy and loud because we were having fun but we were NEVEr disrepectful to the parents. that is unbeleiveable, i'm sorry it had to be so disappointing for you and your dd.

By Kellyj on Sunday, May 9, 2004 - 05:53 pm:

Unbelievable! I actually gasped at the part where the little girl deliberately poured soda on your rug! You must be a saint to not have flown off the deep end. What did the parents say when they found out about this behavior? Based on what you said about how you couldn't contact the parents and their late pick-up, it sounds like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. How disappointing for your DD. She sounds like such a good kid.

By Ladypeacek on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 02:30 am:

Most of the parents just shrugged. which made me angry. Its like they were not surprised at all. My dd was very upset most of the night. If i knew my dd behaved like that she wold never attend a sleepover. I would so embarrassed as a parent to have someone tell me my dd had bahaved poorly but these parents seem to think it was amusing! Well never again. I did have 2 girls that were well behaved and delightful and i allowed them to stay over again so they could play all the games with my dd that they were not able to play at the sleepover. That was a nice night too. They were quiet and stayed in her room playing the new board games or outside on the bouncy castle.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 07:47 am:

Guess the kids are like the parents. I'm with you that I would have been horrified to hear that my girls behaved that way, too.

By Melana on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 08:13 am:

I have a strong urge to find these little girls and give them a good spanking, they deffinately deserve it. If my daughter ever behaves like that, I have no idea what I'd do, probably spank and ground her.....but even wors, the parents need one too!!! I can't see how they aren't embarrassed about their children's behavior. I'd make plans to have a sleep over with the other two girls that behaved themselves more often, once a month or so. When I was little we had them all the time, in the summer there was someone overnight about two or three times a week. There were three of us and not one of our friends were bad. Now my mom had a rule with our friends, the first three nights you're a guest, after that you get to help out with chores(i.e. help pick up bedrooms, livingrooms, andy mess made while you were there.) It worked out great, and our friends didn't mess up the house as much.

By Eve on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 09:20 am:

OMGosh! I am so shocked. I would be horrified if my DD behaved that way at someone else's house! (OR here for that matter!) I would be so upset with my DD! I can't believe those parents! I'm sorry it didn't turn out well. I think I would give up on slumber parties too. Or else have a day party and everyone goes home after they eat pizza. I'm so sorry you had to deal with this.

By Bobbie on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 10:34 pm:

3 to 4 hours late.......... Speechless... I would have been very upset if one of my kids pulled something like that and they would be very very sorry for it in the end...