Are US parents really that worried about their kids on playdates and sleepovers?
Context: I have a 10 yr old son and 13 yr old daughter in England. Son's best friend has american parents and they just moved back to Florida.
My kids, and all of their friends, have been used to hanging out together at one home or another and sleeping at each others houses since they were around 8. Barely a weekend goes by without either a friend staying at ours or our kids staying with someone else. They walk freely to each others houses after school and at weekends. They have a brick phone for emergencies.
Parents of kid who moved to Florida were explaining that its just not a thing there. On playdates, which are infrequent, the parents come along too and watch. Literally just watch their 10 year old playing with friends. Nobody sleeps at each others houses.
Why?