4 year old and bed time

snapping_crocodile

Anthillmob wrote: »

ive said i would get a night light but she doesnt want one and i said open the curtains for soe light again she isnt interested.

i dont let them watch anything i would deem scary.

they both go to nursery and i wonder if she has picked something up from a child there?

i think spending a night in there might be an answer. i dont see things as such, i sense them around the house. the oh thinks im nuts ;lol.

She may have picked something up at nursery. You could spend the night in their to see if you see anything, but I would also suggest the night light, I know she is saying no but she is only 4, and she may find it comforting!

Caroline73_2

Take her to an optician for an eye test too. Rule out the lights being anything optical.

Mme.Hibou

Could you give her one of those cameras for children? You could get her to take a photograph whenever she saw these lights, you could also get her to take pictures of other things so you weren't highlighting this particular issue.

mummy_Jay

Have you considered rearranging her room and giving her a torch. This way if the lights are reflections from car lights or street lights in her room you may get rid of them. Also look round the room see if there are any shiny objects that might be reflecting light. Also how thick are her curtain? if they aren't that thick it may be worth considering lining them so they let less light in. The torch will let her check what the light are.

Also have you consider talking to her about having a guiding light/ spirit (or in this case fairy) that watches over her to keep her safe. If you could relate it to a lost member of family coming back to check on her (maybe one of your grandparents, someone you can show her a picture of and talk about in a positive way), she might feel less frightened by it.

But even if you irradicate the issue, she's now got into a habit and you will need to break that habit too.

Indie_Kid

Caroline73 wrote: »

Take her to an optician for an eye test too. Rule out the lights being anything optical.

I agree. Because of the way my eyes are; I do see everything differently to other people and do sometimes see coloured lights that no-one else sees.

daniel_owen_uk

Gonna have to be different to most people in here and say, I think you are a loon

We have a 6 and a 3 year old, 6 year old went through this, coming to tell us her leg hurts, her arm hurts, she thinks the windows open, can she get a drink, I litterally could go on forever, some you really have to laugh at. However the ones she used to use more (over it now) are the ones that consistantly got a reaction from either me or her mum.

If you believe her, and she will know, then that's probably why she says the same thing.

Definitely get her eyes checked, but from what you describe it doesn't sound like an eye issue, ask her why she has her eyes open after it's bedtime?

Me and the missus are very very clear that bedtime is bedtime, you use the bathroom before you go to bed, no drinks or food in bed, and definitely no getting out of bed.

Stick to your guns it will pay off eventually.

jollymummy

You aren't a loon My 4 year old often finds 101 excuses not to go to sleep at night, he has a nightlight and we keep his bedroom door open with the landing light on. When you mentioned the coloured lights I wondered if your girl had been looking at a light and looking away. Something about my 4 year old is he never forgets anything, so perhaps she has seen lights in the past and remembers them, could even be Christmas fairy lights??
I'd take her to the opticians too.
DS tries all the usual excuses to stay awake, I'm hungry, thirsty, need a wee etc etc, so we make sure he goes to the loo and I always say if you're still hungry in 30 minutes I'll fetch you a snack by which time he's always asleep

daniel_owen_uk

BTW we have night light/torches for the kids, they are little triangular thingies.

Work as a night light when not picked up, but if kids gets scared or needs toilet at 3am (not that important for a 4 year old, but we don't want the 6 year old waking us up), then they can use that to go without turning lights on and waking everyone up.

Might also help if it's in a specific area of the room, your daughter could pick the torch up and shine in that direction.

Although I bet you a pound she would find something else to come and tell you about

skintbutsolvent

I used to be petrified of the 'glitter' in my room after the light was turned off. Of course, there was no glitter, it was just the fuzziness of my eyes focusing in the dark (like you get with night vision films etc). The glitter wasn't real, but my fear definately was!! My parents in the end left the light on in the hallway and my door open about a foot, did this for years. I now like sleeping in pitch black, but still see glitter.

I also used to get nightmares about the faces on my parents curtains (mum liked me to sleep with her when dad was working). The curtains were floral, but I could clearly see faces - I now know its natural instinct to seek a human face in a pattern, obviously I didn't then.

Maybe its something similar??

nigem

I used to be fed up with similar bedtime issues, except we had a 'you cant come downstairs rule' but I would come up if called for (eventually!). I just left the light on a dimmer, and told DS to get into bed when he stopped playing in his room. I think he got bored and it was his decision to lie down. It stopped the attention seeking stuff.