Sleeping with the lights on?
Do you let your kids sleep with a light on? If not, how did you get around their night fears? If so, how bright, and are you concerned at all about it interfering with their restful sleep and eyesight?
2 Answers
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We have tried 3 things with our 3 year old when he has asked for the light on. They have all worked, more or less. When he was an only child and asked for the light, we would leave a nightlight lamp on. It was only 4watts. But it came with a warning that if the light kept him awake, we would come turn it off. It is the same as the tiny bulbs that come in those wall plug light-sensitive night lights. But sometimes they are 7watts, which I felt was too bright.
Then when he started sharing a room, we didn't feel like we could leave a light on in the room anymore. He was Ok with us having the nightlight on in the bathroom, and leaving his door slightly ajar where you can see the light coming in from the bathroom. His bed is in a place where he can see the door when lying down.
Finally, we put some glow in the dark stars where he can see them when lying down. He LOVED this and even said that he would go to sleep with the door closed because the stars would keep him safe. Unfortunately (this just 3 days ago), his sister goes to bed 1 hour before he does and by the time he gets into the room, they are no longer glowing anymore. These stars are old have been sitting in a door so maybe they haven't been "charged" up properly... not sure. Until we figure that out, we are leaving the door ajar again.
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My boys are complete different from each other. Andy could care less. Jack wants the nightlight, the closet light, and the door open. And sometimes even with all that, I come in and find he's turned on the light. I just turn that off again.
I don't worry about a nightlight or closet light keeping him up. It obviously does NOT in his case. In fact the opposite - it reassures him so that he's calm and falls asleep. I draw the line at the overhead light, and will turn that out after he's asleep.
Also just to note that I have one nightlight in the hall and one in the bathroom that light up his way if he has to get up and pee in the night. They are the kind on light sensors, and are thus always on when it's dark, so I don't have to remember to turn them on. I think even with that, he's a little anxious getting up and walking in the dark hall to pee at night.
