I want to make sure to handle this in the right way...
My son has generally had an acute awareness of darkness -- not necessarily a fear, just very aware of when it was suddenly dark if he wasn't expecting it, gladly turning on lights as needed, and naming the dark (saying "it's dark" when entering a dark room or noticing it is getting dark outside). I haven't been bringing too much attention to his awareness; I just have tried to be respectful of what he says, acknowledging his observations, explaining as needed (the sun went to sleep), etc.
However, his "fear" seems to be growing...We have always slept with some kind of "nightlight" -- a hall light or closet light with a cracked door, a light in a grandfather clock, and now a lamp on on the other side of a sheet hung from the ceiling (not over it, vertically) which kind of creates an illuminated wall -- mostly because we cosleep, and I like to see him when I wake to move (we are both toss and turners). Lately, he hasn't been wanting to turn off the main light in the room before going to bed...and unfortunately, I can't sleep like that.
So, I guess my first question -- What to do about the night time lighting arrangements so that he is comfortable and I can sleep? My second -- Is there anything more to do to keep his awareness from becoming any more of a full blown fear than it already is? Or, to comfort him in his "discovery" of the darkness? I am at a loss...I have never been scared of anything, really, and don't want to create more of a fear than he naturally has.
My son has generally had an acute awareness of darkness -- not necessarily a fear, just very aware of when it was suddenly dark if he wasn't expecting it, gladly turning on lights as needed, and naming the dark (saying "it's dark" when entering a dark room or noticing it is getting dark outside). I haven't been bringing too much attention to his awareness; I just have tried to be respectful of what he says, acknowledging his observations, explaining as needed (the sun went to sleep), etc.
However, his "fear" seems to be growing...We have always slept with some kind of "nightlight" -- a hall light or closet light with a cracked door, a light in a grandfather clock, and now a lamp on on the other side of a sheet hung from the ceiling (not over it, vertically) which kind of creates an illuminated wall -- mostly because we cosleep, and I like to see him when I wake to move (we are both toss and turners). Lately, he hasn't been wanting to turn off the main light in the room before going to bed...and unfortunately, I can't sleep like that.
So, I guess my first question -- What to do about the night time lighting arrangements so that he is comfortable and I can sleep? My second -- Is there anything more to do to keep his awareness from becoming any more of a full blown fear than it already is? Or, to comfort him in his "discovery" of the darkness? I am at a loss...I have never been scared of anything, really, and don't want to create more of a fear than he naturally has.
