Mom hosts sleepovers 3 weekends in a row, complains when parent won't pick up their kid before 10 AM because of sibling's sports practice: 'When I was a kid, I wasn't getting picked up before noon'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

How long is too long to leave your kid at somebody else's house?

One of the many unavoidable duties that come with being a parent is that, up until a certain age, you have to be the manager of your children's social life. While you might find the quirks of your own kids delightful, there is every chance that you will feel like others are very annoying. That is before you even get into the minefield that is dealing with other parents and their expectations of how you will handle their children. 

Needless to say, parents who are not particularly community-minded and fond of kids are not likely to respond well to the demands of their child having friends that they see on a regular basis. It also means that legitimate grievances between adults get magnified because there are children involved. While it often feels easy to decline hosting grown-up social events at your house if you don't feel like it, the idea of kids missing out on seeing their friends because the process irritates their parents is a surefire way to increase parental guilt. Just like everything in life, balance and boundaries need to be developed to keep everybody happy.

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  • A boy sleeping in a sleeping bag with his head on a cushion, with other children sitting on the floor behind him.
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A boy sleeping in a sleeping bag with his head on a cushion, with other children sitting on the floor behind him. Models for explanatory purposes only.  
     

  • A mom caused some controversy when she expressed frustration at the behavior of one of the parents of her child's friends. She had spent the past three weekends hosting sleepovers, with the expectation that all children would be picked up by 10 in the morning. However, the parent had asked if their child could stay a few extra hours while their sibling had a sporting event.

    While some people understood that she wanted clearly defined boundaries, others felt like she wasn't really in the spirit of what sleepovers were about. Ultimately, we can't always expect other people to conform to our expectations in any kind of social obligation.

  • SassyBluegrassy ❤ @Bluegrassarts I've had a sleepover for the last 3 weekends. Drop off after 5 pick up by 10 am. This is the 2nd time one of the parents asked if they can just leave their kid here until after a sibling's sporting event. That's 3 extra hours. Is this common cuz I think it's rude. It puts me on the spot. Just pick them up early, the field is right up the road.
    via Bluegrassarts

  • Her opinion was not shared by everyone.

    Carly @CarlyCats Cook I always hated when parents wanted early pick up. If I had something going on I would just say I'll drop them off at the field or they can come with us and I'll drop them off at X time.
    via CarlyCatsCook
  • JAIL Not WTFOMGBBQ!?!?!... @notwtfomgbbq One of son's friends parents will just go radio silent and leave their kid all weekend. We've had to take him to school multiple times. He's got a home life so we really don't mind and don't say anything but dude come on.
    via notwtfomgbbq
  • Owie @3032Tomcat No children but I grew up with two brothers and I think you should roll with it because "their kid," will remember all their lives how great a mom you are/were.
    via 3032Tomcat

  • There were ways to get her point across.

    Mike Bravo ❤ @MikeBravoNC 15 minutes before that child is picked up give him/her several sugar cookies, an espresso, and a kitten. Bet that's the last time it happens!
    via MikeBravoNC
  • cactus girl ❤ @cactusncookies "No, we have some things going on today so she/he can't stay longer but you're welcome to swing by early if you like. Otherwise maybe they can make it to the next one." They'll figure out a way.
    via cactusncookies
  • dekalb doll @stilllbarbie this is one of those things where you realize that white people are just... different lol
    via stilllbarbie

  • Other people had different ideas of what sleepover pickup times should be/

    millie bobby valentine @plslvamsg this is foreign to me bc a sleepover usually meant spending the next day at their/my house and figuring out what we wanted to do that day the morning of.
    via plslvamsg
  • BeeHolder @_BeeHolder Be like, "ok, but I charge $20 per hour."
    via _BeeHolder_
  • AoverK @Aoverk This is hilarious because she's running a free weekend daycare but hasnt realized it.
    via AoverK

  • It wasn't a shared complaint.

    half empty girl @meowingabyss Sometimes I see other parents posts and feel like I'm on a completely different planet
    via meowingabyss
  • wild women don't get th... @blahhhlicia Wow when I was a kid going to sleepovers I wasn't getting picked up before noon. Like we might even have plans the next day
    via blahhhlicia
  • Lito @lito_719 The same people who think like this are the same people that will cry about not having a community
    via lito__719

  • It was normal for kids to hang out.

    Alexandria @BudhaLoves Booty Sleep overs for me growing up included doing whatever the family was doing for the day lol. This is so odd to me. It was either waking up at the a crack of dawn and going to church, playing games all day, or hanging out at the mall, etc
    via BudhaLovesBoty
  • SKG @toosuuu This sounds like the lamest sleepover of all time.
    via toosuuu

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kids parenting sleepover mom
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