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One of the biggest parenting challenges is to get kids to go to sleep. We had a tough time getting Nathan to go to bed by himself since he hates to be alone. We weren’t successful until just before he started kindergarten. Now he puts himself to bed without behing asked. He knows when he’s tired and it’s time to go to sleep.

Lucie’s a whole different kid. Like her dad, she’s a night owl. I’ll often fall asleep before she does and she’ll spend the evening watching Mythbusters or poker tournaments on TV with her dad. But like her brother, she’s usually aware it’s bedtime, and allows us to tuck her in with little fuss.

Here are some books that may help you in getting your children to bed:

• Good Night, Sleep Tight - Claire Freedman’s book for young children is a wonderful grandma-grandchild bear book. While babysitting, Grandma tries several ways to get Archie to feel sleepy but nothing works until she remembers how she used to put his mother to bed when she was a little girl.
• Ten in the Bed - Jane Cabera’s twist on the 10 little monkeys story. Instead there are ten cuddly animals pretending to be cooks, pirates, doctors and more falling out of the bed. Not only are they having fun falling out of bed, they’re pretending to be all sorts of wonderful people, too.
• A Goodnight Kiss (also called Kisses) - By Nanda Roep writes about all the kisses there are, including the very important goodnight kiss.

And here are a few sleepy time recipes to try, courtesy of the Got Milk? website.

Grandma’s Warm Milk
Enjoy the old standby night time drink promoting restful slumber.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 cups milk (low fat or nonfat)
2. 3 tablespoons honey
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add honey to milk and warm in the microwave.
2. Remove and stir in vanilla.
3. Enjoy and then slumber off to bed. (Don’t forget a pit stop to the potty, first!)

Sleepy Tea
This warm and fragrant bedtime blend will have you sleeping like a baby.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup hibiscus flower tea
2. 1 cup milk (low fat or nonfat)
3. 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Prepare tea by letting it steep for at least 5 minutes. Add the milk and honey and stir well.

Hot Milk Posset
In Victorian England, children were allowed small glasses of wine at the dinner table. Alcohol was a traditional sleep aid for all ages back then. This posset was a classic drink that nannies would prepare for kids in their care who were having trouble falling asleep. They even had special posset pots to make them in, some of which are very collectible today.

Apparently possets really knocked out the kids, but maybe today this is more of a nightcap for adults.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup milk
2. 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3. 1/4 cup sugar
4. 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
5. 1 egg white
6. 1/4 cup dark rum
7. 1/4 cup brandy

Directions:

1. Heat in a saucepan the milk, lemon peel, sugar and almond extract.
2. When it begins to scald, remove from heat.
3. Beat egg white and add in.
4. Now add rum and brandy. Serve hot.

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