Here Are 3 Unique Ways To Celebrate Your Child’s Major Life Milestones

  1. Encourage Others To Participate:

Some of the best milestones aren’t solo, they involve other people!

One moment parents often celebrate is their child’s first sleepover – the first time they don’t sleep at home.

Some parents choose to help their child select a new sleeping bag or new pajamas.Whether it’s at camp or at a friend’s house, a child’s first time away from home is a big deal!

Parents reported some tips on how to know when it’s time to hit this milestone:

“If your kid is hounding you to let her stay over with her friend, consider it a great clue.  

“That’s the first sign that your child is ready, but she should also be a calm sleeper, not afraid of the dark, and comfortable telling other adults what she needs,” says Dr. Goldstein.

Some kids might be ready at 6; others not until 7 or 8. Also remember to consider your own feelings: Are you willing to respond to a late-night “come get me” call? Once you can check off all these boxes, send her armed with a book to read until she nods off, a flashlight, and a strategy, such as self-soothing talk, for overcoming anxious alone in-the-dark feelings.

 “You might teach her to say to herself, ‘If I close my eyes and think fun and brave thoughts, this is something I can get through,’ ” says Dr. Goldstein. 

But moms, please don’t pressure your child. If they don’t want to participate in the group sleepover, there’s no need to push them.

However, you can begin to show them they can have a good time with their friends.

Of course, make sure the sleepovers are well supervised.

Even more important, make sure you train your child the importance of personal boundaries and inappropriate touch.

The sexual predators on the rise, they often target young children. But don’t let the fear of what could happen stop your child from leaving home, just make sure they are equipped and understand they have the power to say “no” if they feel an adult is crossing a physical boundary.