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 *one* more sip of water.
Tonight was one of those nights. “I’m not sleepy!” Lily declared, her eyes wide. Mama smiled gently. “Sometimes, sleepy doesn’t come right away, Lily-bug. It likes to sneak up on you. Let’s try something. Close your eyes and imagine your favorite place.”
Lily closed her eyes. She imagined a field of fluffy dandelions. Each dandelion was a tiny, glowing star. She pretended to blow on them, sending wishes floating into the night sky. “I wished for a rainbow!” she whispered. Mama chuckled. “A wonderful wish.”
“Now,” Mama said, “imagine those dandelions are singing a quiet song. A song just for you. A song that tells you it’s okay to rest.” Lily listened carefully. In her mind, she could hear a soft, gentle hum. It felt warm and cozy, like a hug.
Suddenly, Lily noticed a little wobble in her dandelion field. It wasn’t scary, just…wobbly. “What’s that?” she asked, still with her eyes closed. “That’s just your feelings, Lily,” Mama explained. “Sometimes, when we’re getting sleepy, little worries or wiggles try to keep us awake. It’s okay to feel them. Just let them wobble and float away with the dandelion wishes.”
Lily imagined her wobbly feelings as tiny bubbles, floating up, up, up, and popping gently among the stars. With each bubble that popped, she felt a little bit more relaxed. The humming of the dandelions grew softer and sweeter.
Mama continued to talk in a quiet voice, describing the twinkling stars and the sleepy moon. Lily pictured the moon as a friendly face, watching over her. She felt safe and warm and peaceful.
Before she knew it, Lily’s eyelids felt heavy. The dandelion field began to fade, replaced by a soft, dark quiet. She snuggled into her pillow, a small smile on her face. “Mama?” she mumbled sleepily.
“Yes, Lily-bug?”
“I think…I think sleepy found me.”
Mama kissed Lily’s forehead. “I knew it would. Sweet dreams, my little dandelion.” And as Lily drifted off to sleep, she knew that even when sleepy didn’t come easily, she could always find a peaceful place in her imagination.