too young for a reading lamp?

[love-my-rb]

My dh and I do not agree on this, so maybe some of you could offer advice. Our 29 month old is in a bed, and she still, after 2 months, gets out a bunch of times before settling in to sleep. In the past 4 days, she turns on her light and starts reading her books. The overhead light is very bright and we don't have a dresser in there so there is no place for a lamp to sit safely. When I go in and shut off the light, she turns it back on. After a few times I warn her that I will have to take her books out of her room unless she stays in bed (she sleeps with them - different ones every night). She gets up again, without fail, and I take her books, and then she cries and cries and runs out a few more times. This is quickly becoming a new routine! I gave her time tonight to read on her own (after I read a bunch to her) and we talked several times about how I would come and shut out the lights, and she would stay in bed and she wouldn't get up and turn on the light. It didn't work, and tonight she is crying more than ever. My dh wants to let her read with the light on for as long as she wants, so that we don't discourage books. I think that she is too young for that freedom and needs to go to sleep at a reasonable hour. It's after 9 now and she is still yelling and crying for her books. What can I do? Thanks!!

[janelle]

We have had a little lamp for dd since she moved into a big bed at 22 months.  she loves reading and i love that she loves it   Most nights she reads/plays before she goes to sleep.  One thing I have learnt with my dd is that if she is not ready to go to sleep she will not go to sleep.  My dds lamp is like a night light so not very bright at all and it stays on all night.  Could you perhaps use a night light, then you wouldn't have to have the fight over turning it off, it could just stay on. 

My dd went through a phase where she was partying up til 11pm and it was so hard.  We even took all her toys out of her room and it made absolutely no difference at all, it just made her upset.  She kept this up for a few months but now she is asleep by 8:30 most nights (in bed at 7pm) she reads, or plays and then when she has had  enough just lays down and goes to sleep.  I think some kids just need to wind down by themselves before they can go to sleep, perhaps your dd is the same.

[Katet]

Honestly if it isn't working the way you want it, why not try the way your husband thinks.
I know my cousin used to sit up at 3am reading books & go back to sleep at about 2yo & my niece does it now although she is 4.

Some children take a while to unwind & need to do it how it works for them... my elder son who is approaching 4yo reads for anything from 5mins to 1 hour after we say goodnight. I think when you start listening to what they are trying to tell you, it is actually amazing how well they do know their own needs in terms of falling asleep.

If she stays in her room with a light on, then that is all you can do... you can't make a child sleep, but you can help them find ways to relax & set the scene for sleep

[em_here]

Hi there.  Have you ever thought of those small push lights you can get, they are portable and battery powered so no connection to the mains.  They do not give too bright a light either xx

[JennŠ]

Janelle and I seem to be thinking alike.  Mine picks out several books to "read" to her animals each night.  She has both a night light, and it's not dark when she goes to bed.  Time spent reading varies, but she seems to regulate it well.  A small light to clip onto her bed?  

[love-my-rb]

Hm, you are all encouraging. Ok, maybe I will try to allow reading before bed. She just seems so young for this! I like the idea of a battery operated light, because she has pulled apart her nightlight so we removed it, and leaving a real lamp on all night, where it could fall over and get quite hot, scares me. We could also put a lower wattage bulb in the overhead light, so that it's dim, but that's not really good light to read by. Well, she is just looking at pictures really, so maybe it's not a strain? If I had a safe way to leave a light on by her bed I think I would feel a lot better about it. Is there something out there you can suggest? Her bed is just a mattress and box on the floor, so I can't attach anything. Tonight we will start with a dimmer overhead light, since that's safe fire-wise, even if not good for the eyes in the long run.

[mari]

TBH, if she is in her room and quiet then I would leave her.  Perhaps she will get to drop off earlier and earlier with her books as time goes on.
Does she still have a nap in the day?

Sometimes I am unable to fall asleep, but the minute I start to get into a book my eyelidds start drooping!  Try to give her books with little activity, just a thought, but if they are too thought provoking in might stimulate her.  (In other words, steer clear of  the BW for toddlers!!!  she will get to know all your tricks and you will never get her to do anything    )
Do you read her a bedtime story?

[love-my-rb]

She no longer naps, but will play quietly in her room for 45 min or so during the day. We read a lot of bedtime stories, probably 5-6 most nights. She stays up late with this new freedom (we've tried it for two nights), but she doesn't cry or run out of the room. I just want her to sleep more! Last night she fell asleep at 10 and woke up at 8:15 today. That is not much sleep!

[Katet]

You can't make a child sleep, but you can set the scene for sleep, the fact she stays in her room & doesn't cry is good, If our experience is anything to go by you will probably find that things improve in a week or so as she learns she has control over it & learns to relax faster. It can take 3 weeks with toddlers to see change in sleep... I'd say it was a success