The Slumber Party and Its Progression in Time

What comes to mind when you think of a slumber party? Visions of little girls in their pajamas eating pizza and talking about boys are likely the thought of most people. What was once the perfect birthday party for a girl entering into the teen years has become something of an almost routine party for girls as young as six years of age. For many, the slumber party is no longer reserved for teenage girls with boys just fighting to crash the party and catch the girls off guard.

In some ways, it is sad that the slumber party has lost its place in teenage history because certainly, girls of six or seven do not know the proper way to have a slumber party. What would a slumber party be without pizza all over the floor and boys trying to sneak in to join the party? Add that to dreams of staying away all night talking, giggling, and making fun of the boys who are trying so hard to break in and join in the girls' fun because naturally, they were not invited.

Throughout history, a slumber party tended to be the "coming of age" for a teenage girl, and usually followed or replaced a 13th birthday party. Come now, do you really think a six year old can do justice to a slumber party? Doubtful - a group of six year olds will fall asleep before the fun even begins. Either that or someone will get homesick and have to be driven home in the middle of the night. We should reserve the sanctity of the slumber party for those who made it famous, notably, the teenagers with their sneaky lot of boys trying to get in on the fun. Now, that, everyone, is a slumber party in its true form, and its true meaning must be preserved for future generations of teenage girls.