, be prepared for the fact that you'll probably wake them up. But I like the peace of mind. (Warning: not great for the children to find a face looming over them.) Preparation is key Book an appointment with the chiropractor in advance. On a recent sleepover, my granddaughter begged me to sleep next to her. There wasn't room, so I took to the floor. In the morning, my neck was out. Feeling at home Bring your own pillows and bedsheets. It will make you feel at home. I also have a torch to hand since a friend couldn't find a light when she was granny-sitting because her mobile had run out of battery and there was a power cut. Tag teaming Decide whether to bring a companion. Two can be better than one – but if the guest isn't known to the family, check with the parents first. (It's a bit like babysitting when you were a teenager and had to ask if you could bring the boyfriend.) Sleep as a tribe Go to bed as soon as they hit their own pillows. I see it as an opportunity){kind=link}
Looking after young children can be rewarding but staying overnight requires preparation and firm parameters
It’s 2.35am. I’m in my daughter and son-in-law’s bed. They’ve gone away for the weekend and it took me until 10.23pm last night to coax my seven-year-old granddaughter to sleep. And now, just as I’d reached the land of Nod myself, I’m woken by a little cry along the landing.
It’s my five-year-old grandson, who has stumbled to the loo half asleep. I leap out of bed in the way that I used to when my three were little. Some habits die hard.
“It’s all right,” I say, wrapping my arms around him. “I’m here.”
“But I want mummy and daddy,” he says.