new betta for daughter

Question
I've been researching on the internet all night, trying to figure out a
responsible way to keep our new betta.  My wife wanted to get the fish for
our 3 year old daughter to keep her company at night.  We are resorting to
being creative with keeping her in her own bed.  We bought the fish this
evening along with flake food, water conditioner, tank kit (a 1 gallon tank, air
pump, and lighted top), fake plant, and some smooth 1/2" to 3/4" stones.  
I've been trying to find out about the tank light and if we can use it as a sort
of night light for our daughter.   The woman at the pet store said that a light
would help with water temperature but I neglected to ask about how much to
keep it on.  I was told by several people that betta fish are very hardy and
have fairly long life expectancy, but from what I'm reading they seem to get
sick quite a bit.  From your previous answers, I think I have a good idea of
feeding and water changing.   However, I had a couple of general questions
about some other aspects of betta ownership.  First is the light thing - if need
be i think i could keep it pretty darn dark in the room during the day.  
Another thing is the gravel.  We got some pretty large, shiny, smooth stone
that you would find at the bottom of a vase of flowers.  We did get them at
the pet store so I thought they would be ok, but I'm not completely sure now.  
Another thing is the water temperature.  I really don't want this experiment to
be a big investment, but I'm seeing people talking about heating the water,
and maintaining specific temps.  I'm also seeing conflicting information about
what the temperature should be.  Anyway I suppose this is getting long so I
would very much appreciate any advice you could give.  Thank you so much!!  

Answer
Hello Daniel-

Be sure that you are ready to treat this betta as a family pet rather than an item. Bettas, if taken care of, can live for three to five years - pretty long for a fish. They have quite a personality, but if no one bonds with the betta, it will get very lonely and sulk.

As for your other questions, hopefully I'll get to them all!

First off, you can leave the light on for up to 12 hours. Bettas aren't really picky about light/dark and can get sleep even if their tank lights are on (they never close their eyes, so it doesn't really matter if it's light or not!) For example, the light could be on for 12 hours (during the night phase) and off during the day (at which time your betta would sleep.)

Bettas are quite hardy fish if you keep them in the proper environment. (Most of your general questions will get answered here, hopefully!)

Temperature is the most important factor in keeping healthy bettas. 75-80 F is the absolute best for your betta. At this temperature, their metabolism and immune systems will function perfectly, and your betta will be at his best. He'll grow fast, and fight off any infections without needing medical treatment.

Windows and air conditioning are a betta's worst enemies. Avoid placing your betta near either of these things. Buy a small stick-on thermometer ($1.25 at WalMart) to make sure your betta's water isn't getting cooled unexpectedly. A small 1-gallon heater (also cheap at WalMart) would be a GREAT idea.

Other good things to have on hand: Melafix (to perk your betta up if his environment changes, ie. temperature drop) Aquarium salt (to increase electrolytes in the water and prevent parasites/diseases) and QuickCure (an emergency cure-all for most diseases) These aren't necessary, but having them on hand beats having to rush out and search for them. By the way - Everything I mentioned can be purchased at WalMart (cheapest) or PETsMART.

THANK YOU so much for being a responsible person and purchasing the 1 gallon  tank and the water conditioner. Most new owners pass up these things, and their betta is dead in a week. Bettas cannot live for very long in any tank less than 1 gallon.

Other notes - It's normal for bettas to blow bubble nests. It means you're doing your job at keeping your betta happy and healthy. They also blow huge nests right before storms (yeah trivia!) DON'T scoop out the nest if you can help it, as your betta may get depressed and not blow another one for a while.

Also, your betta may not like the flake food - if this happens, switch to pellets (or a mixture of both.)

Wow that was long, but I hope it's helpful.
-Amber Worman