Hello!

My 12yo sleeps with a nightlight, sparkly lamp, lava lamp, glowing figurine and fairy lights at the end of her bed. I know that sleep is more effective in the dark – (ie. sleep better and medications, if using any, work better in darkness). How do I get her to stop using so much light?


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  • Personally I would have a chat as well and brainstorm together how to bring it down to an acceptable amount


  • Talk to her about it. Ask her about why she wants so many lights and the significance of each one. Tell her your concerns and try to work something out together.


  • They will outgrow it eventually. I wouldn’t worry too much unless it a cost issue.


  • Trying cutting them out very slowly but have a chat to her about why you are doing what you are doing


  • She is old enough to have a honest conversation about power usage, tell her things are a little tight money wise and she needs to reduce her power consumption at night or in some other way, eg turning lights off when they are not needed,, the tv or computer etc… But allow her to choose which lamp she wants on.. Just one.. Also try to let her see you are doing your bit about saving power etc… (even if you are not).


  • I’d reduce them by over time or I’d scare the bejeezzes out of her & tell her that the house she saw burning down on TV was due to too many night lights being on-LOL!


  • I’d slowly reduce them or can you take them away completely and leave her bedroom door ajar with a light on in the corridor. Her room won’t be in total darkness but it will be quite dim


  • Just take them away and tell her she can’t have them any more. A tween should be able to adjust to new rules. Point out the reasons – like poorer sleep, fire hazard, cost of operation, clutter in her room etc. Get her to explain why she does want them and work out if there is some psychological/medical reason why she doesn’t like the dark perhaps look at getting that treated. If it is just a routine thing (ie she has always done it) it should be possible to change.


  • Maybe try to reduce one by one over x amount of time ? Ending with 1 small night lamp


  • Let her choose only one light per night. Hopefully she will lose interest in her night lights.


  • We turn the one/s in our child’s room off when we go to bed/ she falls asleep – whichever comes first.


  • We turn them ALL off when we go to bed. I just would like her to get used to falling asleep in a darker room.


  • This is an obvious answer, sorry, but have you tried turning some of them off when the tween has fallen asleep?


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