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I grew up in the late 80s and 90s. Back then, things were a lot simpler. There weren’t any smartphones, and the internet was nonexistent. It didn’t feel as fast-paced and loud as it is today. Thinking back to childhood, I remember playing outside a lot and having sleepovers at my girlfriends’ houses on the weekends after we picked out a movie at the local Blockbuster store. Life was pretty sweet. I hope that’s how everyone feels about their childhood. But maybe I was young, naive, and oblivious to the worries that adults face. Or maybe I was just really lucky that nothing scary had happened to me at that point in my life.
Today, I feel like we have so much more information available at our fingertips. We can stay informed about what’s happening in every part of the world instantly on our phones. While this technology is amazing, it can also be overwhelming. There is no denying that we all know so much more about the world and what can and does happen to people (good and bad) daily. It has shed light on many things we may have never known. For instance, we’ve lately seen headlines about terrible things happening to children during sleepovers. It’s upsetting and disturbing and causing parents to debate their kids having sleepovers entirely.
Today’s guest, Kristin Andrus, is extremely passionate about this topic. Her family has one big rule: They don’t allow their children to have sleepovers. Some people disagree wholeheartedly with this rule, while others agree with her stance because they, too, know of scary stories that can happen and have happened during sleepovers. We had Kristin share her thoughts and experiences advocating for children on the show.
Who is Kristin Andrus?
Kristin Andrus is a philanthropist and community champion who advocates for women, children, and refugees within and beyond Utah. Kristin is the driving force behind the impactful Building Bridges non-profit/philanthropy partnership. She also serves as a board member for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area and for UnDEfeated, an organization serving underprivileged youth and single mothers in Uganda. In addition, she holds advisory roles with the First Lady of Utah, Neighborhood House, the Younique Foundation, Utah Valley University, and Women Who Succeed. She is a community activator who believes in building bridges and bringing people together to help communities thrive! Nonprofits count on Kristin for her social media and marketing savvy, as well as her exceptional ability to get things done. She is also the Chief Culture Officer of her husband and six children, and an incredible cook!
What Did We Discuss?
In this episode, we chat with Kristin Andrus about the great sleepover debate — should you or should you not allow sleepovers with your kids — and how to make the best decision for your family when it comes to sleepovers. Here are several of the questions that we covered in our conversation:
- Kristin, can you tell us more about this “sleepover debate?”
- What factors should parents consider when deciding whether to allow their child to attend a sleepover? Or allowing any sleepovers at all?
- Can you elaborate on any statistics that have impacted your stance on sleepovers?
- Are there certain ages or developmental stages when sleepovers may be more or less appropriate for children?
- If parents do decide to let their child do a sleepover, what important conversations should be had in advance with the parents and with their kid?
- What guidance would you offer parents who may feel pressured by their child or other parents to allow sleepovers despite their reservations?
This is a very big and passionate conversation. While some of my favorite childhood memories were sleepovers at my girlfriends’ houses, hearing Kristin’s stories and the stats made me rethink how I might approach this topic with my kids when they reach the age of being invited to sleepovers. This episode really gives us parents information that we need to know and new things to consider. I wonder, where do you stand on this great debate about sleepovers? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Kristin’s Resources:
- Instagram: @kristinandrus
- YouTube: @KristinAndrus
- Website: kristinandrus.com
- Her Deseret News article, ‘The Great Sleepover Debate’
Thank you for listening to this episode! Be sure to follow us on our podcast Instagram page @thebabychickchat. Let us know what you think and if there are any other topics you’d like us to cover. Cheers to informed parenting and advocating for your family!
