Article: Don’t bring up your idea first thing in the morning or as soon as your mom get home from work. This will make her less likely to hear you out, since she won’t be ready to talk. Instead, find a calm time during the day to bring up the subject. Politely ask her if she has some time to talk to you before stating your case. Approach your mother and say, “Hey mom! Do you have a few minutes to talk about having a sleepover? I really want to have one here and I have a few ideas.” Your mom probably had sleepovers when she was your age. If you can get her to think back to her childhood, she may be more likely to give you what you want. Ask her questions about what she did at sleepovers when she was your age, and if she has any experience hosting sleepovers when she was a  kid. Use your indoor voice and take a breath between each sentence to collect your thoughts. Staying calm while you’re presenting will show your mother that you’ve thought through your ideas and care deeply about having a sleepover. If your mom is initially against it, don’t worry. If you can show her that you’re capable of having an adult conversation, she may change her mind. Don’t throw a temper tantrum if the conversation doesn’t go exactly the way you want it to. If your mother initially says no, wait a couple of days and then try asking her again. She may change their mind over the course of a few days, and asking her again may show them that you’re serious.  If you lose your cool, you’re only going to reinforce your mother’s belief that you aren’t old enough to have a sleepover. If you feel yourself getting really angry, slow your breathing down and count from 1-10 in your head to reset yourself. Even if you didn’t get what you want, thank your mom for hearing you out. If your mother wants to negotiate, be open to modifying your plans. A sleepover at your house will impact your parent too, since they’ll have to prepare their home, coordinate with other parents, and monitor you and your friends, so be willing to accept that they may change your plans. Say, “Thank you for taking the time to listen to me” at the end of your presentation.

What is a summary?
Talk to your mother when she’s in a good mood and not busy. Ask your mom about sleepovers that she had growing up. Share your ideas in a calm manner and keep your voice down. Keep cool if you don’t get your way. Show gratitude and be willing to compromise.