Mum shamed for not letting her kids attend sleepovers

A US mother has defended her decision not to let her kids attend sleepovers, after being shamed online for the “unpopular” rule.

Tara Huck knows that her parenting style isn’t for everyone.

Ms Huck, a mum of primary school-aged kids in North Carolina, went viral and was criticised harshly on TikTok when she posted a video last month about three of her “unpopular parenting opinions”.

In that clip, which has been viewed more than 1.6 million times, Ms Huck revealed that she doesn’t allow her kids to attend sleepovers.

Though many commenters asked Ms Huck to explain her opinion further – which spurred her to make several follow-up videos – others criticise her, claiming she was being “strict”.

“As long as you meet the parents, there should be no problem with a sleepover,” one person wrote. “As a kid that grew up in a loving and safe home but with strict parents, kids just need a break from home sometimes, it’s good for mental health.”

Another commenter wrote: “Okay but like being a very strict parent is just going to make the kids get out the house asap.”

Tara Huck has gone viral for posting a video on TikTok. Picture: Supplied

She doesn’t allow her kids to go to sleepovers. Picture: Supplied

Ms Huck also had several people come to her defence.

“For everybody commenting talking about sleepovers made their childhood, the world is different & scarier now,” one commenter said.

Another wrote: “I wasn’t allowed sleepovers as a kid and I had the funnest childhood ever. Do you guys not know how to have fun in the day or something.”

Ms Huck told Fox News that the reason she doesn’t let her kids go to sleepovers is because there are too many unknown elements and situations that could come up when her children are at someone else’s house.

That includes safety concerns such as sexual assault, or just general parenting policies such as allowing children on social media – something Ms Huck doesn’t allow for her kids.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be something terrible. It just may not be something that I agree with for my children,” Ms Huck explained.

“It can be anything. You know, weapons inside the house … It’s not to say I have anything against weapons, it’s just to say kids have no business being around them.”

Ms Huck said that it’s not always a matter of trust or parenting policies, either.

“Depending on how that person parents and depending on what kinds of freedoms their kids are allowed to have, a lot of times, that parent may not even know what’s going on in their own home,” she said.

“That’s a huge thing for me.”

Ms Huck said that her decision to not allow sleepovers is something that happened gradually and by the time her children got to an age where sleepovers started happening, she realised she didn’t feel comfortable allowing her children to spend the night at friends’ houses.

The reason she doesn’t let her kids go to sleepovers is because there are too many unknown elements and situations that could come up when her children are at someone else’s house.

She said her kids do spend the night at their grandparents’ houses and despite some of the criticism she’s received online, Ms Huck says her children are very active and social, playing in the yard until dark and spending time at friends’ houses during the day.

“My kids have normal lives,” she said.

Ms Huck said she has also explained her reasoning to her kids.

“We’ve talked about what different situations and it may be in a very broad, general sense, but it’s drugs, alcohol, weapons, other people that may not have your best interest at heart or other people that may be looking to be dangerous,” she said.

Ms Huck said her kids respect and understand why she makes certain decisions for them, adding: “I think communication is just so important with your kids.”

She said that she didn’t anticipate that so many people would be upset with her opinion, but she wants others to know that her rules and beliefs aren’t meant to shame or upset parents. “You are more than welcome to disagree with me,” she said.

“You are more than welcome to bring up your kids however you see fit, as long as they are fed and happy and healthy and cared for. You are more than welcome to do what you see fit. But then again, so am I.”

Ms Huck added that her no-sleepover policy is about keeping her children safe.

“At the end of the day, if I’m looked at as a mean mum, but my kid can maybe come out of childhood without some insanely traumatic experience, I’m OK. And I will feel like I have done my job to the best of my ability with the knowledge that I have as a mum,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission