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Some Aussie parents won't let their kids have sleepovers - at all.

A child’s first sleepover is a milestone for any family – but how young is too young?

According to new research, most parents agree that age eight is acceptable – but almost one in ten parents won’t let their kids have sleepovers – ever.

It’s just one parenting dilemma uncovered by the Schoolparents Report, a study carried out by Australian parent-only social networking site Schoolparents.com.au.

Image via iStock.

The study was conducted to discover the biggest parenting issues facing Aussie parents today - as well as where those parents go for support and guidance.

It found that while 92 per cent of mums and dads think that forming friendships with other parents was important, 46 per cent said they struggled to break into parenting networks.

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The report also outlined three key areas of concern for parents - their children's friendships, play dates and sleepovers, and being part of parenting networks.

1. Friendships.

A massive 86 per cent of parents stress about their kids making and keeping friends at school, and they also say their children's friendships helped them bond with fellow parents.

In fact, 66 per cent said the main benefit of meeting other parents at school was the chance to form friendships with them.

WATCH for advice on how to handle requests for co-ed sleepovers. Post continues after video...

Video via iVillage

2. Play dates and sleepovers.

Unsurprisingly, nine out of ten parents fret when their child is at a friend's house, citing safety and not knowing the parents as their main concerns.

While most parents let their kids attend sleepovers by age eight, eight per cent will never let them.

Parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson said that forming relationships with fellow parents was vital.

“Our children’s positive social and emotional development – and their relationships at school – depend to some extent on their ability to spend time with friends outside of school. But if our children’s friends are strangers to us, trust is low and relationships suffer. Getting to know our children’s friends and their parents builds trust, relationships, and a sense of community," he said.

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Image via iStock.

3. The parent network.

The study found that the parent network - ie friendships with fellow parents - helped parents keep tabs on their kids, both in terms of what was happening at school, and any potential problems.

89 per cent said they had experienced communication issues with their children - and Dr Coulson said the parent network offered a solution.

“One of the key benefits of connecting with other parents is peace of mind – whether it’s to make sure that a pre-schooler is building friendships in the classroom or to be assured that a sleepover environment is suitable for a tween," he said.

Who knew making friends could make your job as a parent easier?

Do you let your kids have sleepovers?

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