thread: Afraid of the dark

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Epping, VIC
    2,546

    Afraid of the dark

    Any pointers for my 2yo who is suddenly afraid of the dark.
    Are the plug in nightlights safe to be left on all night?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  2. #2

    Jul 2009
    Out North, Vic
    8,538

    I've found the night lights to be ok, they don't seem to get hot or anything but like all electrics there is always a risk.
    We had a sensor one somewhere if you want me to find it?

    Maybe check what PRMG says about safety, but I think they are fine.

    Can you leave a light on outside her door and open her door slightly?


    Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    Near the Snowies!
    2,975

    DD has a touch lamp in her bedroom with the lowest wattage globe we could find. Our house is really dark (even during the day!) but the hallway light shines right through the crack where the door hinges to the wall..so this was really our only option. I find the night lights aren't really bright enough.. But they are safe to be left on, just make sure there is nothing near them that can get hot (not that a night light should get too warm anyway)

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Epping, VIC
    2,546

    Thanks ladies!
    All our power points in that room are hidden behind furniture ie: hard to get to.
    Our trusty electrician is coming on Wednesday to put in a new PP- might ask him tomorrow what he thinks.

    Leaving the door open is not an option- very open plan house....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Add Little Chicken on Facebook

    Mar 2010
    Melbourne
    1,855

    Do you know what it is she is frightened of? Hard in a two year though. Sometimes when DD1 decides there is a dinosaur in the cupboard/under the bed etc, we have a little session yelling at them to go away, their mummies are looking for them and to go and sleep in their own beds. We really yell it to. Works every time.

    I wonder if you can still get the touch activated lights that ran on batteries, or a very low glow solar powered garden light you can leave outside during the day to charge.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Epping, VIC
    2,546

    Not sure what it is....
    It's possible that the thunder and lightening storms have frightened her.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jan 2007
    7,197

    Glow in the dark stickers? We use a night light, stays on all the time and never gets hot, we also have a Gro clock that emits a bit of light for him too. Hope you find something that works. xox

  8. #8

    May 2008
    Melbourne, Vic
    8,631

    We have a gro clock that stays on all night, it emits a low blue light on the face of the clock. Works well for us - lights up DD's room and also does the day/night thing. Going to get one for DS soon.

    You can check it out next time you're round if you like

    ETA: the Safeway night lights are good too, we've got one of them outside DD's room.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    Mornington Peninsula, Vic
    1,624

    Aldi had these cute little hippos and elephants that light up and change colours, battery powered if you are near an Aldi store at all???

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Epping, VIC
    2,546

    Thanks soooo much everyone!

    Think I'll hit the shops tomorrow and see what I can come up with...
    I really wanted a gro-clock anyway- maybe ill get one of them too :-)

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Add belfie on Facebook

    Oct 2007
    Melbourne
    2,362

    Theres a heap at bunnings (both battery or plugin) and even the supermarkets have some pretty good ones. We got a dinosaur from
    Safeway who just has to sit on his charger during the day. So saying in retrospect I would have picked something DS couldnt actually hold right to his face! Stimulating much? Lol. Now we just turn it on for him once he's asleep.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    On the other side of this screen!!!
    11,129

    I'm just going to warn against getting one with changing colours or moving lights - our DD kept complaining about scary monsters and saying that that "bed keeps moving" - the moving parts in the night light make the shadows move. Now we just have a normal lamp with a lampshade and a very low wattage energy-saver globe.

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Balnarring, Vic
    1,900

    dd is afraid of the dark too. a couple of weeks ago we got these night lights from target that turn on by themselves when its dark and turn off when it gets light. they are childsafe and don't get hot to touch. they are really helping her, thoroughly recommend them.

    Sent from my GT-S5570 using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Epping, VIC
    2,546

    Thanks ladies- you have all given me some great ideas!!!!!

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Aug 2009
    Melbourne
    56

    Hey there,

    like boo and ocean princess said those little animal nightlights are very cute and emit a soft glow that changes colour and is kinda soothing. I spotted some in Ikea yesterday - they are made with LEDs so no worries about safety, heat or energy usage as LED requires next to no power to run

    As said they phase through the colours and are kinda comforting - when DD wakes she could watch it go through the colours. Maybe to introduce it to her you could name the colours together? So she remembers this reassuring game when she wakes?

    As to why she has night terrors - many little ones seem to go through a stage. Could have been a nightmare and waking in the dark perhaps?

    HTH
    Onja x

  16. #16
    Nothing like a cuddle from DD after a hard day's work!

    Oct 2007
    in my own world
    3,267

    Don't get ones from Kmart, I plugged one in and the power adapter became so hot in a matter of minutes! Chucked it out.

    I got one from aldi that we keep on and doesnt seem to heat up at all thank goodness. Its a turtle that changes colour with the temperature.

    You can also go to bunnings and get butterfly ones which users solar power