First off, it's safe to say that all parents, not just those of kids with diabetes, dread the age of slumber parties. Nowadays, parents seem to be pushing them at younger and younger ages. You, however, need to base your decision on more than just age.

If You Feel the Time Is Right

So your child has asked enough times and the child who's hosting the party has a trustful parent. You've decided to leap into the world of sleepovers. You'll need to come up with a masterful plan that, whether your child likes it or not, will include you checking in.

First, plan to have your child check her blood sugars every two hours the entire time she is awake. This can be tricky, since kids tend to stay up very late for sleepovers. But the reality is, with the excitement and the energy burned, your child will need to keep a close eye on blood sugars, and the parent in charge will need to assist you in this. Set a target range that is a little higher than usual, and let your child and the parent know that as long as your child is in that range, he doesn't need to call you. But if your child goes low or extremely high, he'll need to call, no matter what the hour.

If you find that your child is extra high or low at bedtime, you'll need to talk to the parent and find out if he wants to do a middle-of-the-night blood check or if he'd rather you come over to do it. Let him know it's just to be safe, and you are almost sure things will be fine. Yet, with the added activity and food, it has to be done.

You'll also need to let the parents and your child know that you expect them to check right after she wakes up in the morning and to call you to check in. Kids forget or use this event as a chance to escape their routine. But a morning check is crucial in this situation.

If the Time Feels Wrong

As stated at the start of this section, even parents and caregivers of kids without diabetes aren't big fans of sleepovers. Children often eat poorly and sleep poorly. They can come home cranky and exhausted, spent for the entire next day, and all of that can mess with blood sugars.

So what if you'd just like to say no? Your child will argue that you're treating him differently; that you're letting diabetes rule his life. And in some ways, you are. It depends on what your issues are.

If it is a case of not trusting other parents to follow your requests, you can still have your child take part in slumber parties. But here's the hook: They'll all have to be at your house. Some parents who aren't comfortable with their children sleeping over other homes have made that deal: As long as it would be a time you'd otherwise say yes, you'll always allow it to be at your house. The bonus to that situation is all the other parents in town will idolize you for taking the party out of their home and putting it in yours.

If you just don't feel your child is ready, then as long as you have the same rule for all your other children, it's fine. If your child has not been responsible or smart about her care recently, it's okay to keep her home. It's not a punishment; it's a safety issue. Explain to your child that because she's lied or skipped checks, you are not ready to trust her away from you. Give her a goal: one week of not skipping and she can go back to a party again. Remember, you have to stick to what you say.