Summer's over and school's back in session (we moved south years ago, but still have not gotten used to kids starting school before Labor Day!) And it's time to make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
A couple observations from a working mother of three, who just happens to own a lamp store.
If you're going to include your child in the selection of her lamp, do a bit of pre-shopping.
Lamp choices can be daunting to an adult, but they are overwhelming to a child, whether the child is 5 or 15.
Over and over again, we've watched moms lead their under-10 year old child to our store's "Kids" section, ask the child which lamp he likes, then try to talk the child out of his selection, because it doesnt fit the space or decor of the room.
Too many times, we've watched moms try to gently explain to a 12 year old that the $ 450. lamp she's just fallen in love with is not in the family budget.
Too many times, we've watched as mother and 16 year old daughter try to balance the selection of a chrome and glass ultra contemporary lamp with the Country French furnishings of the daughter's room.
Bottom line: If you're going to let your child pick out his / her lamp, pre-select the choices so you can exercise some control over the look, cost and size of the lamp. We recommend Two Choices for a pre-teen and Three Choices for a teenager.
Let's get back to that "quiet, well-lit place to do homework."
Where, in the house, a child does his studying is the real issue … whether it's at a desk in his own room, on the floor of the living room or at the kitchen counter. The important point, of course, is that a specific place and a specified time be designated and a routine established. And where that place is, your "job" as a parent to is make sure THAT'S the spot that has adequate reading light.
Bottom line: If your child sits at a desk or table to do homework, provide a lamp that's tall enough and the bottom of the lampshade is wide enough, to cast good light on the work area. The base of the lamp should be sturdy enough so that a brush by a book or a wave of an arm will not continuously knock the lamp over. The size of the lamp's base should not take up too much of the work area, so that it does not have to be constantly moved around to make way for projects. The lamp should be "replaceable", ie NOT a sentimental family heirloom, just in case there is an accidental knock or a mishap with a spilled glass of juice or a swipe with a pencil. The lamp should have at LEAST a 60watt bulb.
If your child ends up sprawled on the floor, as one of our always did, try to make sure that spot is within a good pool of light, whether from a nearby table lamp or a floor lamp. The light provided by ceiling fixtures, track or can lights just is not enough for reading. Since the distance from the table or floor lamp, to the floor where your child is, is greater than a desk or table, the nearby lamp should have at LEAST a 100watt bulb.
Just a brief note about Halogen Task Lamps:
Much as we love them, for desk or bedside use, because they're flexible and give such good reading light, we do NOT recommend them for any children under 10 years old. The downside of that wonderful, pure white light from a halogen bulb, is HEAT and an acoustic brush could result in, if not a real burn, at least a very uncomfortable experience. And … as we learned with our easily distracted child, a lamp with movable parts is just more fun to play with than doing math.
