Bedtime for toddlers can be a blessing and a curse. For parents, it's the final countdown before freedom, but the road to freedom has its potholes. I've found that the key to getting my 20-month-old to cooperate with anything is distraction, and this Sky Starry Light Projector and Essential Oil Diffuser [1] ($40) is nighttime distraction at its finest.
Created by a dad, Zaq [2] founder Mubashir Shethwala, Sky was designed as an all-in-one humidifier, air purifier, ionizer, aroma diffuser, sleep timer, and night light with the intention of easing nighttime anxiety for kids while packing in some other benefits as well. As an essential oil junkie myself, I was curious to see if my son would be as into the idea as I was. Since studies show that lavender essential oil is a nervous system restorative [3] and that diffusing it can ease insomnia, anxiety, depression, and fatigue [4], I add a few drops of it to his Sky each night. When the lights are still on, my son gets a kick out of watching the cool mist rise and I find myself breathing more deeply as the room slowly begins to smell like a spa. Once I get him in his PJs and am ready to turn the lights off, the starry light projector becomes key. While he used to whimper and fuss when I switched off the light, he now looks forward to our star-gazing ritual. We ooh and ahh and point to the ceiling while we watch the celestial shapes glow and fade from one color to the next. As I lay him down in his crib, my son stares enchantedly at the ceiling. As I tip-toe backward and turn to close the door, I can see the pudgy silhouette of his finger still pointing to the ceiling and his little voice saying, "moooooo" (toddler speak for moon).
With the timer setting on, I know the lights will fade into darkness within 30 minutes so that he can sleep soundly in a dark room, but I also like having the option to leave the softer nightlight setting on for the nights it's needed. With our Winter skin parched by our home's heater that cranks away each night, the humidifier helps keep his skin and throat from drying out.
If you're in search of a wellness product that is compact, affordable and multi-tasking, you should definitely give Sky a spin.
