Sleeping

     Lately my daughter has been asking me if she can have a sleepover. My friend Stace and her kids have spent the night before but we have never had a parentless friend stay over night. And my daughter has never stayed at anyone's house without one of her parents. There are two main reasons for our inexperience with sleepovers: one, my daughter is only five years old and two, a week has not gone by without my daughter sneaking into bed with me in the middle of the night. And sometimes she sneaks in two or three times a week.
     Because of her mom snuggling issues and age, I have decided not to allow a sleepover. She was so disappointed when I told her and could not understand the reasoning behind my decision. So I engaged in a simple discussion.
     "Bug, do you ever climb into bed with me in the middle of the night?"
     "Yes, Mama."
     "Do you do it every night?"
     "No, just once in a while, but sometimes I come in right away and sometimes I even start sleeping in your bed," she said with a smile.
     "I know, Honey. This is why you can't have a sleepover yet. I don't want you getting scared in the middle of the night because if you do then you will call me and I will come get you at 3am. That is way too early."
     She thought this dialog was funny. "That would be funny if I called you at three in the morning."
     "Yes, hilarious, my bug. So you see, some day you can have a sleepover just not now."
     "Yeah, and do you remember how sometimes I accidentally kick you in the middle of the night? Or how I lay real close to you or on top of you?" she said giggling.
     "Again, hilarious."
     "I don't try to do it but it's funny when you tell the story."
     "Well, I'm glad that your sleepless mother keeps you entertained. Now would you sleep in your own bed all night for me?"