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and sit with them in the background.

9. Most of them will drop off during the film without the need for a formal bedtime. There may be some residual giggling but it should soon fade out.

10. Stay up for a while after they're all asleep in case one of the kids wakes up again in a panic whilst they're still in their initial light-sleep phase.

11. Set your alarm early - better you wake up before the kids so you can reassure/help any that wake up confused, fractious or in need of the toilet.

DON'T...

1. Panic if the kids don't all go to sleep. If necessary take a couple into a separate room if they're at risk of waking the others

2. Scold the children in front of their peers. If you need to discipline any of the children, you should take them to one side to talk to them, and stress that you will need to get their parents to come and pick them up if they don't behave.

3. Give them too much to drink before bedtime

4. Get stressed if one of them throws up or wets the sleeping bag. Clean them up, let their parents know what has happened and say you're happy for them to stay as you don't want to make a big deal of it for the child, but that they should have the final say as the child's parents.

5. Expect to sleep well! You'll be on red-alert whilst looking after other people's children and that's completely right and normal. Don't plan anything for the next day so that you and your family can relax and recover.

Learn more about this author, Isobel Clayton.
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