Parenting: Sleepovers on Sunday Eve

Originally posted 9-27-09

parenting and church attendance
The Lawrimore Family at Church on Easter 2013

“I got the invitation to my friend’s birthday party, Mommy.”

“Oh?”

My 11-year-old daughter, Margaret hesitated, seeming to withhold information.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Well,” she said, dragging the word into two syllables, “it’s a sleepover.”

“Okay.”

“And . . . ”

“And what, Margaret?”

“Well, it’s on a Saturday night, but I really want to go and she only invited two other girls and if I don’t go then that would mean she only had two girls at her party and that’s if those two girls can actually come and what’s the chance of that, I mean probably one of them can’t come and that would be horrible to have a birthday party and only have one friend there don’t you think mommy, so can I go please?”

Saturday night sleepovers. I don’t much care for them. You see, I want my kids in church with us on Sunday morning and Saturday night sleepovers make that tricky at best. Sure it’s fine to visit church with friends, but I feel like there will be plenty of time for that when they are older. For now, this family goes to church together on Sunday mornings. It’s a parenting priority.

After we talked about it, Margaret shared our plan with her friend. According to Margaret, it went something like this.

“Guess what? I can go to your party!”

“Great!”

“Only I have to leave at 8:00 Sunday morning.”

“Whoa. That’s really early.”

“Yeah. I know. But I get to go to the party and I’ll be there early so we can have plenty of time together. It’s just I have to leave at 8:00 so we can get to church on time.”

“Okay, but Margaret? Can’t you miss church just once?”

As she told me the story, Margaret demonstrated how she shook her head in disbelief before she laughed, answering her friend, “Ummm, have you ever met my mom?”

Church. Around here, it’s a priority.

By Aileen MItchell Lawrimore

Aileen Mitchell Lawrimore is a mother x 3, wife x 35 (years not men), minister, speaker, writer, retreat leader, and lover of beagles and books. She has a lot to say.