Lily was a little girl who loved to play! She loved building towers with blocks, drawing colorful pictures, and pretending to be a brave explorer. But sometimes, when the sun went down, Lily didn’t love bedtime so much. She would wiggle and giggle and ask for just *one* more story, or *one* more hug, or just *one* more minute of playtime.
Tonight was no different. “Mommy, I’m not sleepy!” Lily declared, her eyes wide. Mommy smiled gently. “Sleepy comes to everyone, Lily-bug. Sometimes, it just needs a little help arriving.” She tucked Lily into her cozy bed, covered her with a soft blanket, and kissed her forehead.
“Close your eyes,” Mommy whispered. “And imagine your very own dream garden. What does it look like?” Lily closed her eyes. At first, she saw darkness. But then, she started to imagine. She imagined a garden filled with glowing flowers, each petal shimmering with a different color. There were bouncy mushroom seats and a little stream of sparkling water.
“I see flowers!” Lily said, a small smile appearing on her face. “And mushrooms! And a sparkly stream!” Mommy encouraged her. “Wonderful! Now, imagine yourself in the garden. What are you doing?” Lily imagined herself picking the glowing flowers and making a beautiful crown. She felt peaceful and happy.
Suddenly, Lily felt a little bit worried. “What if a grumpy cloud comes and covers my garden?” she asked. Mommy squeezed her hand. “Even if a grumpy cloud *does* come, Lily, you can always imagine the sun shining brightly behind it. You have the power to make your dreams beautiful and peaceful.”
Lily thought about that. She imagined a bright, warm sun peeking out from behind a fluffy, gray cloud. The sun’s rays made the flowers glow even brighter. She giggled. It wasn’t scary at all! She realized she could control her dream, and make it whatever she wanted it to be.
Mommy continued to guide Lily, helping her add friendly butterflies and singing birds to her dream garden. With each imagined detail, Lily felt sleepier and more relaxed. She practiced telling herself, “I am safe, I am peaceful, I am loved.”
Soon, Lily’s breathing became slow and steady. Her little hand relaxed. She was fast asleep, dreaming sweet dreams in her beautiful, glowing garden. Mommy smiled, knowing that Lily had discovered the magic of bedtime and the power of her own imagination. And she knew that even grumpy clouds couldn't spoil a dream filled with love and light.