Q: I feel silly even writing about this, but here's my problem. My 4-year-old son doesn't want to wear pajamas, even in the winter. He wants to go to bed naked. I think he got the idea from his father. I don't know what to do about it!
A: You haven't said why you think your son should wear pajamas! We are guessing your reasons have more to do with modesty than with health. We know of no health problems that result from being pajamaless. Bed covers are sufficient for warmth.
We recommend that you let your son sleep naked in his room at home if that's what he wants. After all, he ultimately has control over this issue. And it's not surprising for him to want to copy his father. On something like this that is not dangerous and is mainly a matter of individual taste, why not let your son have his way at home? Save your efforts for sleeping away from home. Buy a special pair of pajamas. Make it a special treat to pack those pajamas for trips and sleep-overs where social conventions need more attention than they do at home.
Dr. Wilson is director of general pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Children's Center; Dr. Joffe is director of adolescent medicine.