A prayer for saying "Good Night"

My wife and I have been talking about how difficult it is to get children to go to sleep. Children, and lots of adults, don't have the knack of turning off all the problems, excitements and memories of the day. A nighttime bath, reading a book and saying a prayer are rituals that help us get ready for sleep.

A prayer is a ritual that a child can experience with the ones she loves.This ritual can include movement by making up body gestures for each line; it can include posture such as a traditional one like kneeling and folded hands; or it can include a sign of love, such as holding the child, or touching the child's forehead while you pray for her. If you choose to end the prayer with a traditional "amen" add something of your own to it that you will repeat every night.

Most important of all, praying for a child in the evening is an intimate time between you and her. Make this time your own by creating your own movements, postures, words and gestures.

Remember, if you want to teach your children to pray, the best way is to show them that your prayer time is important to you. After all, "Monkey see, Monkey do." They will imitate what they see you do.

Replace the words in brackets with the best description of your own child: babe, boy, girl, child, etc.

Now I lay my [babe] to sleep,

Give rest to [her] that's good and deep.

Chase the fears of dark away

And bless [her] now, O Lord I pray.

Till morning brings a brand new day,

Let angels watch [her] where [she] lay.

Love and peace shield you,

Now and forever, my love.

This prayer appeared in my first book, Prayers 2 Pray.