Conference moira::parenting

    All I've used in the winter with my kids has been a blanket sleeper.
    With Jessica, I'd put a onesie and sometimes a regular sleeper, but
    with Brad, I just put a onesie if anything but he runs a bit hotter.
    And I didn't use blankets because they just kicked them off. I 
    like my room really cold to sleep, so I keep my heat in the bedrooms on
    56-58 all winter.  
    
    This year, they're in regular beds, so they'll probably just have a
    blanket sleeper and the covers on the bed, but they're older and don't
    kick all the covers off anymore.
    
    Cathy

    
    The last few cool nights I have put my sons sleeper on. He won't keep a
    cover on him and I know I have been cold without covers so I figure he 
    must be too.  Last few nights he has a onesie and sleeper with the window 
    left open.  During the winter we kept the room cold, upper 50's, and he 
    wore an undershirt or onsie, pajamas AND a sleeper.  He normally sweats a 
    lot but isn't sweaty with the combinations I mentioned.
    
    Kathy 

    I do whatever I have to to try to keep the room temp constant.  That
    usually means that in the evenings I run around and open all the
    windows and let the cool air in - it ends up being one of the coolest
    rooms in the house when they go to bed, and I usually leave the fan on,
    and dress them WARM.  Then when I go to bed, close up the windows and
    turn the fan off.  The normal 'outside' temp drops, and brings the room
    to about the same temp it was with the fan blowing (if you figure in
    wind-chill).  It's not complicated - just got to remember to do it.
    
    And at 6 years old, Jason STILL kicks his covers off.  The other thing
    I've done for Jonathan, is to leave a lot of small blankets in his
    crib.  This morning he was sitting up with one on his lap, and he
    seemed warm enough.  (Until we went downstairs BRRRRR!)
    
    I'm a wimp, and the bedrooms are usually around 68 at night, but I do
    like a window open when I sleep - even if it's cold!
    
    In the winter we usually go something like a t-shirt and sweats and
    sox, or t-shirt and footed pjs.  Jonathan sweats TOO MUCH for a
    sleeper, no matter how cold it is out(in).
    
    I try to go by the temp. of their torso, more than fingers/toes.  If
    their chest is warm, they're probably fine, if sweaty, they're too hot,
    and if they're chest is cool, I usually know about it before then
    anyway (-:  MOM! IT'S FREEZING IN HERE!!!!!!
    
    

	A blanket sleeper has usually been enough for Emily.  On the
	occasions when it's been really cold in the winter, we run
	a small ceramic heater in her room.

	For the recent weather, we put each kid in footed pajamas, but a 
	lightweight pair.  They've slept fine in these, with the windows
	open.  

	I tend to go by the kids - if Emily was cold, it'd usually wake
	her, then we'd go put the heater on.  If she was comfortable,
	we let her be.  Andrew hasn't been through the winter yet, but
	he's on the hot side, so I'll probably underdress him to begin
	with then add clothes if he seems too cold.

	Karen

    
    I make sleepers for my kids out of polar fleece, (for the dead of
    winter) I could put them to sleep in a snow drift and they would be
    comfortable. Our house gets very cold in the winter (And very warm in
    the summer :-() so these are not overkill (i'd love to make myself
    one!)
    
    On cool evenings (like the last few nights) my kids go to bed wearing a
    sweatshirt and sweatpants. Neither of them "do" blankets.
    
    
    				Wendy

    OK this is a real stupid question but "what is a sleeper"? 
    
    Paul also loves to kick off his blankets.  I have been putting him in
    the lightweight footed pj's the past few nights but when its hot he
    usually just gets a onesie and never seems cold.  He has a light weight
    quilt and a heavy comforter, used separately depending on the weather. 
    In the winter I used the heavy comforter, along with a hand knit
    blanket and heavy footed pj's (sleeper?).
    
    cj

    A blanket sleeper is just footed pajamas made out of "blanket like" 
    material.  You can get them for about $5 at KMart or JC Penney.

    I was just thinking, in the winter, I wear around the house, sweats
    with a turtleneck and slippers.  If I'm sitting around doing nothing,
    I'm cold!  There is no way I could sleep dressed like that!  These 
    blanket sleepers are no thicker than sweats so how could she be warm?

    Karen

    
    Both of my sons will not keep a blanket on. We came up with what we
    call the double bagging system. We will put a onesie, a one piece
    longsleeve/long pant cotton outfit, or long underwear type outfit,
    then a sleeper. This works very well. It does create a little extra
    laundry, but the kid sleep much better and are less apt to wake up
    because they are cold.
    
    Lots of times you can get sleepers on sale at Walmart for $3.88.
    
    

    During winter evenings we use a child-proof heater to keep our son's
    room temp comfortable.  The cool evenings during Colorado summers don't 
    require any special care, except to pull most of the covers off our 
    sweating son.  He likes to sleep in his self-made bed tent and overdoes
    it.

>    I was just thinking, in the winter, I wear around the house, sweats
>    with a turtleneck and slippers.  If I'm sitting around doing nothing,
>    I'm cold!  There is no way I could sleep dressed like that!  These 
>    blanket sleepers are no thicker than sweats so how could she be warm?

Individuals differ widely, as do kids differ from adults.  In the winter I 
dress like you, and my son is frequently dressed in short sleeves and 
barefoot.

FWIW, we occasionally resorted to double pj's, but very rarely.

Clay

    I also found that the Sears Winnie the Pooh Sleepers are much
    thicker and stay thicker after washings than some of the other
    brands that I have tried.  They seem more 'furry'.  Now that Sears
    has switched to Paddington Bear, the quality may be different.
    
    
    			Mary
    

	I just remembered something we've been doing with Emily lately.
	
	She never uses a blanket, though she likes to cover up with
	one as she lays down.  She usually tosses it aside within 5 minutes.

	One day when her bedclothes were in the wash, Daddy covered
	her with a beachtowel at naptime.  She loved it, and the towel	
	remained.

	Last week, Daddy and I bought her a Barney beach towel on
	sale, and she's become attached to it like glue.  Unlike the
	blankets, this does not get tossed aside when she sleeps.

	I don't know if it's the weight, the softness, or the fact that
	it's Barney, but it may help keep her a little warmer at night!

	Karen