So I've been staying with my mom for a few days and my dad has been spending time with my kids there. For the past couple of days when I've put my (stubborn, stubborn 3 year old) to bed he's put up a little bit of a fight. I've stayed with this child every day since he was born. He's being stubborn. I know he is. Anyway yesterday my dad had this ridiculous argument with me telling me that my son was afraid in the room I'm putting him in when I know he's not. He said "You must have forgotten what it was like to be a kid" And I said "He's not afraid. I know how he acts when he's afraid. He's always slept in the dark." Anyway today my husband is here to lay the kiddo down and while he's yelling from the other room "I don't want to go to bed" My dad says "I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to sleep in that room without the light on either" so I told him "He's not afraid of the dark. He's slept in the darkness every day since the day he was born" and my dad looked at me and said "You would have thought she was a terrible mother had your mom treated you like that when you were a kid" which struck me as him calling me a terrible mother so I said to him (in a calm and regular voice) "He's not afraid. And I'm not being a terrible mother. I just know how my son acts when he's being stubborn and I know how he acts when he's afraid. I know I've been with him every day for over three years. All of them" And he just got all huffy and said "I'm going" Anyway, this man has never raised a toddler, not even me. So I've just been very upset by the whole thing. And I'm pregnant and I have a virus that's weakened my heart and I've got anxiety and every time I get nervous or stressed I get heart palpitations and chest pain and I'm cramping. So I took my mother off to the side and told her in a nice and quiet voice that when I leave it's going to be a while before I come back. I said to her that I wasn't going to be treated that way just because I know my son better than he does and that I can't handle being treated like that. Anyway, this I suppose fits more into the "issues" section than the advice part. I just needed to get that off my chest.

Maybe this is his roundabout way of telling you that room is haunted.

But for real, if this is just a brief visit, I wouldn't sweat it. Just get in, get out, not worth getting into fights or ruffling feathers if this is just a couple of days of the guy being bossy. Besides, your kid is old enough that you could probably ask him if he wanted a nightlight or not.

Out on a limb here I think I might have to agree with room could easily be haunted if even your step-dad(?) is making comments about how he wouldn't want to sleep in there without a light on.

That aside, I nor anyone else can tell you how to raise your own child. I'm not a parent (yet) as I've only just baby-sat since early high school. [li] Have you considered talking to your son about why he doesn't like sleeping in that particular room? [li] Kids do go through phases. In all honesty he could have slept in the dark until he's seven and then all of a sudden want a night light put in. I'm 23 years old and I still don't like sleeping in the dark and I sleep in the same bed with my boyfriend. (That drives him NUTS lol) - but we have his computer on until it goes to sleep and by long after that I'm out xD [li] Being that your pregnant (again, I could be wrong on this - not sure if I have that experience right now or not lol ) - Your hormones are probably in overdrive again so every little thing is getting to you <3 try stepping away from the situation at the moment or maybe even try to hear your step-dad out? He might sound like he might be a little out there, but maybe he's on to something? You never know :3