My just over 2 year old has just asked me not to close the door at bedtime.....is he scared of the dark?

[herbgarden]

He's started to be really funny at bed - I put him down (he's always been brilliant- he wants a quick cuddle, in his bag and then into bed with thumb in and muslin and no peep out of him. Tonight he was fine, I left and then he screamed his head off. I went back up and he asked me to keep the door open saying "no dark" "door open" - he's always slept in a really dark room with velcroed black outs - he has a monitor with some little light stars on it (one of those BT ones) and also a night light with diggers on but he wasn't content with just that....

Is it the dark ? Problem is that he's a really light sleeper and we have to go past his door to get to bed etc so it's quite difficult to keep it open - I also don't want to shut it once he's asleep in case this frightens him but I can't see we have much option at the moment.

[herbgarden]

Option ie other than to keep his door open as he seems quite scared - btw - is 2 a bit young for this ?

[pointydog]

ARe you sure he would wake up with the door open? I'd try it out a couple of evenings.

[herbgarden]

Not necessarily but if you go in to check on him ( I don't often tbh unless it's really hot or something) then he will stir - he's not one of those out like a light and you could get a pneumatic drill out he's a light sleeper like me ! My sil couldn't believe it when she was babysitting for him and her 3 boys when ds stirred when she went to check on him.

Thing is, do I then leave the landing light on ??

[pointydog]

STirring's ok. Leave the door open. I'd either leave the door open a tiny bit and leave the landing light on or leave teh door half open but don't have the landing light on. Depends a bit on your house and where there's light.

[southeastastra]

rent out monsters inc for him

[herbgarden]

that really would finish him off - the goblins in noddy send him running off with thumb in hand and muzzy trailing behind him (dh is concerned about his "toughness" - dh has a short memory- he used to trail a full sized pillow round sainsburys as a child.

[herbgarden]

"thumb in hand" - how does that work??" thumb in mouth" me thinks.

[cornflakegirl]

My DS started asking for the door open at about 2.5y. I thought our noise would disturb him as he fell asleep, but it's been fine. Try it

[AbbeyA]

I can remember as a child that I liked the door slightly open. Another solution is to have a night light.

[DontCallMeBaby]

DD demanded the door open at a similar age - a pita cos her door swings wide open when not actually shut, so I have to prop it in place with a sock ball. She now goes to sleep with DH clattering about in the kitchen downstairs, and rarely stirs when I go to check on her, whereas I never checked on her as a baby cos she woke up if you LOOKED at her.

I really wouldn't shut the door after he's asleep - can't be very nice, going to sleep with a reassuring crack of light, wake up and it's pitch dark and if you want to escape the room, you can't (don't think many panicking 2yos would cope well with a closed door).

[NellyTheElephant]

I completely agree with DCMB. My DD1 always slept with black out blinds and door shut but around age 2 ish she started asking for the door to be open and screaming if it was closed. I don't actually think she was scared of the dark, she just HATED being left all on her own and preferred feeling part of the house, e.g. hearing DH and I chatting downstaris, distant TV etc. I was quite against the idea of leaving the door open as I'd just had DD2 so I was up and about for night feeds, DD2 was crying in the night etc and I thought it would be a disaster. However, as DD1 would go crazy if I shut the door I started leaving it open and she adjusted in no time. Nothing wakes her now. 18 months on DD2 and she share a room (door open!) and even if DD2 screams blue murder (like she did this evening as she didn't want to go to bed) DD1 snores through it peacefully!! Just give it a try for a week and see what happens.

[herbgarden]

thanks all - NTE - that sounds reassuring..I'm going to try it !

[herbgarden]

thanks all - NTE - that sounds reassuring..I'm going to try it !