Sleeping bag zippers. Late night ghost stories. The microwave popping yet another bag of corn.
It can only mean one thing, parents.
It’s Sleep-Over Season.
It may not be the busiest time of year, but it certainly can be the most crowded. School has been out for a little over a month now and we’ve had so many overnight guests we rival a Motel 6 on I-75. Behind my son’s bedroom door next to his Taylor Swift poster is a sign with standard occupancy rates.
It is amazing how sleepovers have become such a rite of passage in childhood. At thirteen, our oldest son is an expert in the field; often adding the double-black diamond obstacles of multiple friends and attempting back-to-back nights. With a single text his guest list grows like a wedding reception, and the negotiations he conducts with friend combinations and movie selections are truly U.N. material.
I remember my childhood sleepovers as similar nights o’ fun. What was reserved for an occasional weekend during the school year became extended stay vacations throughout the summer. My friends and I would listen to the latest cassette on our boom boxes and if the parents fell asleep early we’d manage to watch... Continue Reading >> | 
