Grandchildren 'Sleeping Over'

When ours were very small and stayed over, DC used to bring the monitor and set it up for us. The 'moon/sun' clocks are a good idea as they knew they shouldn't get up when the moon is still showing.

You sound as if you have everything sorted out. The two of ours who stay most frequently start off in different rooms but quite often the little one would come and stand by the side of my bed in the middle of the night and stroke my face - making me jump out of my skin! Then I'd ask if she wanted to get into the double bed with her sister and she would settled down there happily.
(Older sister likes to have the double bed to herself, so they start off like that!).

Make sure they bring any cuddly toys etc which usually go to bed with them
Be prepared for 'just one more story please' - but I'm sure they will be fine.

As usual, Gransnetters have come up with great ideas.

My contribution would be to tell them that they can have a 'midnight feast'. This is a selection of small sweeties in a small bowl. Served, not at midnight, of course but shortly before bedtime (thus not omitting teeth cleaning!).
We let them stay up a little later so they felt it really was midnight.

One grandson, now in now in his mid-teens, still has fond memories of the 'secret' midnight feasts (secret from mummy and daddy..... or so they thought but not really!).

Our grandchildren were always beside themselves with glee regarding the anticipation of the forthcoming treat.

Oh, I shouldn't really add this but when ours were several years older than your grandchildren, I ensured that cereal was left out for them on the kitchen table and that they knew how to turn the television on! I don't do well with 6.00am early starts!

My grandchildren were really small and had a sleepover some times I just swapped houses as it was easier. I went to sleep at the children’s house with them and the parents went out then returned to mine to watch a film and have a late night as they could sleep in in the morning . It saved transporting loads of things that small children need to my house. The parents said it was nice to be away from home for a night and was more relaxing. Once they got to about 3 sleepovers have been at mine and we all love it. Fortunately we live quite close so easily arranged.

Agree with all other posters, it's a joy to have grandchildren sleep over. Just don't plan anything strenuous for the following day!

Our 6 stay over with us a lot. Usually in 2x3 but on odd occasions we have had all 6 together. The older ones rarely need to come now.
It is such good fun- yes they will take ages to drop off but generally wake up late to make up for it.
The only bit I find stressful is breakfast- especially when we had all 6 as they all wanted something different! Funnily enough the 3 smaller one all refuse to eat eggs at home but insist on having them here every time- mostly boiled to play the ' do you want another egg Grandy?- I can't eat mine' with the empty shell. I can't believe they are still playing this game!
Enjoy having them- magic times & you are making memories for them.

Definitely a waterproof mattress protector 'just in case' and one of those little steps in the bathroom for little ones to be able to reach the loo quickly and easily. And a night light in the hall. Enjoy. You'll have a great time and so will they.

Fully agree Gill - such a joy having them over ?but follow that with a nice chilled out day for yourself- you will love it. Yes, you must have a stairgate for the 3 year old, and keep the landing light on. Have fun !!

You sound like a lovely Mother and Grandmother. Have a snooze before they arrive as you might not sleep too well that night (I mean anxious rather than the children keeping you up). Nightlights in room are great along with a cuddly toy.

Lots of cuddles and reassurance along with stories. Not too much sugar or drinks near bedtime.

Enjoy!

No, no to the sweets Candelle even before teeth cleaning time
Most young parents (rightly IMO) discourage sugar, sweets, soft drinks etc, both for reasons to dental hygiene but because many children experience a “sugar high” even after a few sweets, not advisable at any time, especially at night.
My DGC have been coming for “sleepovers” since the eldest, now 9, was a matter of a few months old and I have found sticking to their home bedtime routine is always best.
One piece of advice though ,if others have not said so already, is go to bed yourself as early as you practically can.
That way you might get some sleep, but be prepared for an early start!

I can guarantee they will take a while to 'settle' down to sleep! All a bit exciting new and different. Be prepared to end up falling asleep on the bed with them!

Hope it goes well, Lyndiloo! Arrangements sound good. I do echo waterproof mattress cover - and spare bedding handy in case anyone is sick in the night. Happened here once, however dd was also staying that time so at least two of us to do the necessary.

We will have our two, recently four and will be just three, coming for three nights in July, gulp, while their M and D attend a no kids wedding abroad.

They will also share a dbl bed, a sofa bed upstairs, very low with no arms, but they're not good sleepers and I'm fully expecting one of them to end up in bed with me or dh, while one of us will end up in the sofa bed with the other. I will leave the hall light on, which should be plenty.

We will also have another guest staying for two of the nights, but she has been warned!! and said she'd stay anyway.

I dare say we'll be on our knees by the next of it, but it will be the first proper break, with lie ins! that dd and SiL will have had together in over four years.

Craftycat

We have up to six, the cousins all love staying over together, and infact, if you’ve got two, you may as well have six!

The middle ones are allowed little midnight feasts (not at midnight) with tooth brushing after, it’s all part of the fun

I am literally just about to make a kind of old-fashioned bolster so my granddaughter doesn't roll off her low bed. Would that be useful to make your double feel like to singles?
I wish I'd bought a baby monitor when she first started sleepovers here.
Audio-books?
Definitely a water proof mattress protector?
We gave a toy to go to bed with that stays at Nana's
PS Even though it goes brilliantly, I'm still exhausted the next day

We’ve got one little boy who goes to bed as good as gold, sleeps all night, but if he sleeps past 5.30 I consider myself very lucky!

Good luck and enjoy. I always leave the bathroom light on and had a stairgate when they were younger. I also had an alarm so I could hear them if they cried. Be prepared for an early morning wake up call. Have fun = children love planning their breakfasts.

You are going to have a lovely time. I found that my grandchildren after a busy exciting day, bath, supper and story time slept well and what a joy to hear giggles at the door in the morning as they were trying to persuade each other to step in and wake us.
All too soon they grow up and become teenagers . Lovely memories making pancakes for breakfast .

We have had our 5 year old granddaughter stay many times (and now also our 1 year old grandson, who obviously is still in a cot) she doesn't like sleeping in our spare double bed alone (even though she sleeps in a double at home!) so she sleeps with me and grandad goes in the spare room. Works for us at the moment. Be prepared to sleep very little, as you are listening out for them throughout the night! They might also wake you up very early, but you know it's only one night and can easily catch up on sleep when they have gone home. I can't believe how exhausting looking after grandchildren can be; I'm a really busy type, never still, have loads of energy, but looking after our two just completely wears me out! Still, wouldn't have it any other way - the pluses far outweight the minuses, they just bring you so much joy.

Put chairs along the bed to stop fall-outs and a bolster down the centre, have a night light and keep the loo light on also with the door just ajar. Read a story or two and be prepared to sit in the room until they fall asleep.

They should be used to sleeping in a bed, so I would think the chairs are unnecessary and just an obstacle (an accident waiting to happen) if they want the loo in the night, or decide to have a wander.

Been having mine over since they were 5 months old.... but they all love a story . Luckily they’re of an age where they can go to bed at same time.... mine are 5 years apart. Bath... jammies..story time ( one for each). You might actually find they’ll sleep better in same bed. Mine have bunks and because if age discrepancy the youngest has to be asleep before the eldest climbs into bed. They will wake perhaps a few times in night but they will soon get used to the new routine .... you will get woken early, par for the course. But mostly try to enjoy it knowing you’re doing your daughter and son in law a big favour. They sound like they need your help and maybe as you get the hang of it you could do it more often.

Lots of ideas ? I have night lights , mattress protectors . Each child has child their own bedding /blanket , a little storage box with some books and toys in and each has a bedtime Bear that stays at mine . I also have a good selection of story CD’s and they each have their own pj’s here and toiletry bag with chosen toothbrush and flannel ( home bargains & B&M’s are good for these items ) Have fun ?

I love it when my granddaughters have a sleepover. Like another poster said I too have their own set of pyjamas ,dressing gowns and toilet bag with toothbrush and facecloth. We have a fairy door on the skirting board and they write letters to the fairy and I have the joy of being the fairy who writes back to them. We have dispensed with a set bedtime as this is a treat, I tell lots of stories and when I leave they fall asleep quickly. If I try to put them to bed early they lie giggling and talking have the night. Just enjoy the experience that many grandmothers unfortunately never have.

Recently had our two to stay for the first time - they were in a double bed and as we thought they would bump into each other during the night, we let them sleep the other way, shortways, if you like - this gave them plenty of moving room and they didn't wake each other. They brought their own duvets and they both seemed happy enough.

Only for younger children, of course, otherwise they will be too tall.

Be careful with midnight feasts when my first DS used to come and stay I follishly thought it would be fun to have a midnight feast if he woke up. Once I started we couldn't stop. He's too big now of course (16) and actually I miss it. He used to climb into my bed in the middle of the night when he slept badly.

If they get frightened about a certain noise, try to make a game out of it. When my granddaughters were that age my mum was still alive so there was no spare bedroom (even for me) and they had to sleep downstairs next to an open-plan kitchen containing a self-defrosting fridge-freezer. When defrosting, it made loud cracking noises that had frightened one of the girls the first time she heard it. So we developed a little ritual whereby I would give the fridge a stiff talking to before they went down to sleep, wagging my finger at it and telling it in no uncertain terms to not make noises and frighten H––––. This usually ended up with her saying “Do it again, Grandma, do it again!”