Because they're fun. It's also a nice little break for parents or chance to spend individual time with kids not at the sleepover. But mostly because they're more relaxed and fun. Great memories for my kids and I like having a house full of kids.

My DD who is now a college freshman had and attended many sleepovers. I hated hosting them because I do not like people sleeping in our home. The girls were always loud and messy and would stay up all night watching movies or on Instagram. I was so glad when DD graduated HS and transitioned to college. The sleepovers were less frequent in HS because of busy schedules but there were still a few here and there but by that time, they were independent and get their own food or order Door Dash or Uber Eats. Glad to those days are over.

Anonymous wrote:Growing up in an Italian American family in the 70s sleepovers were never allowed. It was just never done. I still don’t get them. My kids did them maybe once. I don’t like them.

We are from a different culture also (African) and my parents never let me do them. They would literally ask me, "Why do you want to sleep somewhere else when you already have a bed at home." That said, we have never hosted a sleepover and when my daughter has been offered opportunities to go, she rarely accepts (will stay most of the night but schedules a pick up so she can sleep at home). She's 12.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the social/emotional benefit of it?

Would you rather do it with cousins but they’re too far away?

Honest question: are you from the States? Because this was very common growing up in the Midwest. Almost every weekend. I do find them less so in this area in this day/age. I think that may be a combination of immigrants (anecdotally, kids of immigrants have been less likely to attend or host sleepovers, in our experience) and the overscheduled child (have to get up at Dark O Thirty for soccer games, etc.)

But to answer your question: they have them b/c they're fun. There are some negatives (sleep deprivation for a night) but, in general, the kids get a lot of bonding time together.

This is the main benefit. You simply get closer when you have a whole night to spend together rather than when you know you have to leave in a couple hours. Yes, maybe some kids use that time to get into trouble but I didn't as a kid. We just talked, played music, watched movies and bonded.

My parents as immigrants didn't understand them, but they eventually let me go after I begged really hard.

Anonymous wrote:What’s the social/emotional benefit of it?

Would you rather do it with cousins but they’re too far away?

Honest question: are you from the States? Because this was very common growing up in the Midwest. Almost every weekend. I do find them less so in this area in this day/age. I think that may be a combination of immigrants (anecdotally, kids of immigrants have been less likely to attend or host sleepovers, in our experience) and the overscheduled child (have to get up at Dark O Thirty for soccer games, etc.)

But to answer your question: they have them b/c they're fun. There are some negatives (sleep deprivation for a night) but, in general, the kids get a lot of bonding time together.

Because you can stay up late and your parents don't have to come get you.

I loved sleepovers as a kid. And now my kids do them as well.

The social/emotional benefit of course varies from kid to kid, and some don't like them at all. It can be just simply FUN.

Because they are fun and for the kids to practice some independence.

Because they are fun. I mean, why should kids go to a playground to play when they can just hang out in the backyard?

Sleepovers are fun. We only allow them with people we know well. We have a lot of friends in town who are more like family than our actual blood relations.
Since Covid, we have only allowed our vaccinated kid to go. We have promised a sleepover to our soon to be year old as soon as they are vaccinated.

As a kid, I attended two sleepovers. One was a birthday. We had a lot of fun. No issues as other event. Its an extended opportunity for kids to hangout together and do fun things.

Growing up in an Italian American family in the 70s sleepovers were never allowed. It was just never done. I still don’t get them. My kids did them maybe once. I don’t like them.

We rarely do sleepovers. Only with people we know really well. There is no benefit, honestly, only more opportunity for negative things to happen.

Your cousin comment doesn't make sense, but the answer to "why do sleepovers?" is because they're fun.

What’s the social/emotional benefit of it?

Would you rather do it with cousins but they’re too far away?