Advice on night issues with 3 year old?

My 3.5 year old wakes me up in the middle of the night a few times a week. Sometimes it's because of a nightmare or a real problem, something he seems to just want comfort. Most nights he sleeps right through, so he can do it. I remember being awake and lonely and sad in the middle of the night as a kid, so I want to be there for him. And really, he's still a little kid. On the other hand, I want him to be self-sufficient for his own sake, and I'd like to get fewer interruptions for my own sleep. (Also have a 3 mo, so fewer interruptions is relative.) Right now, he calls out when he wants us. I'm thinking about telling him that if he wants us, he has to get up and come get us in our room. I'm figuring that would create an extra little barrier -- for minor things he will probably be too sleepy to actually get up, but for real problems he'll still get us. So, has anyone tried something like that? Or do you have suggestions for drawing a line between unnecessary interruptions and age-appropriate emotional support? Thanks in advance for your thoughts! via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2dmdy9v