Episode 246: Sleepovers: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
From Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood by Kenneth Wilgus, Cynthia Yanof
April 14, 2026 · 29 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the complexities of sleepovers during adolescence, focusing on values, supervision, and preparing teens for real-life situations.
Sleepovers: kids love them and parents have… feelings about them. Today Cynthia and Dr. Ken are talking specifically about sleepovers in the adolescent years—when it’s no longer just pizza and movies, but brings up real questions around values and supervision. Dr. Ken reminds us that sleepovers have changed. We can’t always assume shared values anymore, which means we have to be more intentional in how we approach them. With younger kids, we try to control the environment. With teenagers, we prepare them to handle environments that won’t match our own. That means having real conversations ahead of time—about phones, boundaries, peer pressure, and wise decision-making—rather than trying to manage every detail of someone else’s house. We also talk about what to do when the sleepover is at your house—why it’s okay to expect respect and how to involve your teen in handling issues with their friends. At the end of the day, sleepovers aren’t just something to survive—they’re a great training ground for real life. If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here You…
People in this episode
Hosts: Cynthia, Ken
Topics covered
- sleepovers
- adolescence
- parenting
- values
- supervision
Keywords
- peer pressure
- boundaries
- decision-making
- teenagers
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Feeding The Mouth That Bites You, Life Is Messy, God Is Good, How'd I Miss?
Books & works: Feeding The Mouth That Bites, Life Is Messy, God Is Good, How'd I Miss That"
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