As you know, we have had some challenges with the little one staying asleep through the night. We've had a couple of good nights but tonight while watching TV she started crying and came out of her room looking for cuddles. Not wishing to be stuck with hours of trying to get her to sleep I told her this story -I am going to print it up in a book and read it to her at night. I also have a fairy from I want one of those to hang in her room from tomorrow night.
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Once upon a time there was a little girl called Amy who lived in a big castle. She was kept company throughout the day by three friendly bears called Schubert, Poo Bear and Sidni.
One day she was sat at one of the windows high up in the castle, looking out on her kingdom, feeling bored. Her iPad had run out of batteries, there were no TV programmes on with Justin in them and she'd burst her bouncy ball.
As she sat there a fairy flew in through the window and landed gently on her shoulder.
"Hi" the Dream Fairy said "I'm the Dream Fairy and I've come to take your dreams away. Do you have any for me?"
Amy was confused.
"But I only dream at night" Amy said "I mean, I sleep in the afternoon every day but I don't usually dream"
"Oh" said the Dream Fairy looking very disappointed "That's a bit of a problem because at night I usually take all the dreams I've collected and bury them deep underground under a huge tree in the forest. I can always tell which tree it is because it is surrounded by lovely sweet wild strawberries which I eat every time I visit"
Amy thought for a moment "I'm sorry" she said eventually "I only dream at night so I can't really help you"
The Dream Fairy sat looking sad and disappointed for a while then said "Well there is nothing for it, I will just have to ask my boss, super duper fairy, if it will be okay in your case to visit you at night. I'm sure it will be fine"
And with that the Dream Fairy flew out of the window.
A couple of hours later she returned. Amy had read 5 books, sung the Alphabet song and counted to 10 a few times. She was now having a snack of Dairylea Dunkers and a bottle of juice.
"Great news" said the Dream Fairy excitedly as she flew in through the window "I have permission to visit you at night and collect your dreams"
Amy and the Dream Fairy were both very excited. Amy offered some of her dunker to the Dream Fairy who tried it but really didn't like it and spat it out of the window!
They sat chatting until bedtime and put each others hair up in ponytails. It was very difficult for Amy to do this to the Dream Fairy because she was so tiny.
Eventually it was bedtime and the Dream Fairy tucked Amy up in bed, kissed her on the forehead and wished her goodnight. Amy quickly fell into a lovely deep sleep.
A few hours into her sleep she had a terrible dream and woke up crying. But it was ok, because the Dream Fairy was there ready with her magic box. She took the dream, put it in the box, shut the lid, locked the box and with a wave flew out the window to bury it deep underground.
From then on the Dream Fairy helped Amy go to sleep every night and although she had the occasional bad dream, the fairy was always there to catch it and take it away.
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Obviously the characters in the story can be changed as appropriate, but when I got to the end of this story I was able to get up and leave the room without any tears. That is progress as far as I'm concerned!
