The Rabbit Who Wants To Fall Asleep: A New Way Of Getting Children To Sleep (2 page)

– The thing about lowering your tempo, as Sleepy Snail told us to do, seems like a good idea, Roger said.

He started to walk
slower and slower
and took smaller steps.
At the same time he started to breathe deeper and slower, he felt even more tired and felt how relaxing it is when things go slower. Roger got more tired and the more he relaxed and calmed down, the more tired he and you became now, and the more tired and the more he relaxed, the more tired he and you became, now
[yawn]
. That's right
.

Roger and Mommy Rabbit
continued slowly
on the little path
down
to Uncle Yawn on the other side of the meadow. After a while they met the beautiful and wise Heavy-Eyed Owl. She sat on a small branch next to the path that led
down
to Uncle Yawn.

– Hello Heavy-Eyed Owl. Since you're a wise owl I would like to get help
to sleep now
, can you help me? said Roger.

– Of course I can help you to
fall asleep now
, answered the wise Heavy-Eyed Owl. You don't even need to hear me finish talking,
you can already see yourself fall asleep
.
You feel calm and relaxed and can do as I tell you. Now. Fall asleep
. It's all about being able to
relax. Now, lay down
. In a little while, I want you to
relax
in different parts of your body.
It's important that you do as I tell you and just relax
, she said.

Since Heavy-Eyed Owl is wise, I will do what she tells me to, thought Roger.

Relax
your feet
[name]
. Roger and you do as Heavy-Eyed Owl tells you and
now you relax
your feet.

Relax
your legs
[name]
. Roger and you do so,
now
.

Relax
your entire upper body
[name]
. Roger and you do so,
now
.

Relax
your arms
[name]
. Allow them to be heavy as stones. The Rabbit and you do so,
now
.

You are relaxing your head
and allowing
your eyelids
to be heavier
[name]
, just letting them relax. Roger and
you are relaxing deeply
.

Now
. You are letting your eyelids be as heavy as they
are, just before you fall asleep, now
.

Then Heavy-Eyed Owl said:

– Let your whole body be heavy. So heavy that it feels like it
falls down
into the ground.
Fall down, down, down
. Just like a leaf, that falls down
slowly down, down, down, slowly down
from a tree, follows the wind and
just let it make you fall down, slowly down
to the ground.
Slowly down, down, down. Now. Your eyelids are so heavy
.

– This was good, said Roger
now feeling how tired he had become. Very tired. Now. So tired that you almost fall asleep
[yawn]
just as calm as it feels just before you fall asleep, now.

Roger The Rabbit had decided to go down to Uncle Yawn, so he continued to go down,
even though he was very tired, now
. Roger thought about what Sleepy Snail taught you, to walk
slowly and be calm to become even more tired
.

Roger
noticed how tired he was
and all he wanted to do was lay down and fall
asleep
. But I can't
lay down here, now, and sleep
, Roger The Rabbit thought. Besides, I have promised Mommy Rabbit that we will
go down
to Uncle Yawn and fall asleep,
now
.

After walking for a while, they reached Uncle Yawn's garden. Outside the house there was a big sign that said
"I can make anyone fall asleep". Yes, that's true
, you now thought.
I feel even more tired already. Now. He has made me sleepier
with his spells, you thought.

When they reached the door, there was a little sign, it said "Knock on the door when you,
now, are ready to fall asleep"
. Roger felt tired and decided that
you are ready to fall asleep, now
. He knocked on the door.

Uncle Yawn opened the door and was happy to see you, Roger and Mommy Rabbit.

– Welcome my friend, said Uncle Yawn. Apparently, you would like some help to
fall asleep now
.

– Yes, answered Roger
[yawn]
, I would like us to fall asleep, now
. Both me and you
[name]
.

Uncle Yawn took out his big, thick book, that contained a lot of spells which can make both rabbits and humans
fall asleep
, be happy, be kind, be loved and feel that they are good enough just as they are. Just like you can, are, and can be right now, said Uncle Yawn. He also took out his
powerful, magical and invisible sleeping powder
that makes rabbits and children fall asleep when it is sprinkled over them.

– When I now cast this spell and sprinkle the invisible sleeping powder over you, it is important that you will walk straight home and go to bed immediately.
Now. You will fall asleep already
on your way back
or in bed
. This spell and sleeping powder is powerful and always works and
you will fall asleep quickly, now
.

– Finally, I can
fall asleep and sleep well all night
, said Roger with certainty.

– Okay, I will now read to you, said Uncle Yawn and started to read the powerful spell that
would make
Roger and
you fall asleep, now
.

[While you count, symbolically sprinkle the invisible sleeping powder over and around the child.]

Three... Two... One... sleepy now, sleepy now, I am sleeping now
...

– Now it is best that you leave, said Uncle Yawn, because you can fall asleep very soon! Your eyelids will become heavier and heavier and you will get more and more tired with every breath you take on your way home and you will realize how easy it is to just let go and fall into sleep. You will also fall asleep faster and sleep better every night in the future. Fall asleep better every night, said Uncle Yawn to you. It doesn't matter if your eyes are open or, now, closed. It will only make you twice as tired
.

Both of you now yawned
[yawn]
, thanked politely and walked home with Mommy Rabbit.

He thought to himself, how will I be able to walk all the way home without
falling asleep? I am so tired and want to go to sleep now
[yawn]
, so tired I wish I was in bed now, listening whilst the sounds around me whisper sleep now. All the sounds slowly drift away. Now. When you fall asleep, Roger said
.

They started walking step by step, your legs got heavier and heavier. So tired, so tired, just like Uncle Yawn had told you, tired you become now, tired you become, now
.

After a while, they met the beautiful and wise Heavy-Eyed Owl again. Heavy-Eyed Owl told Roger The Rabbit, I can see that
you are tired
[name]
and that both of you are
very close to falling asleep, now
.

Roger
was very tired
and slowly nodded his head, said yes, and felt how right Heavy-Eyed Owl was.
I am well on my way to falling asleep now
, you thought.

–
Goodnight
, says the wise Heavy–Eyed Owl, now,
shutting your eyes and yawning yourself to sleep
[yawn]
.

Roger The Rabbit continued home to his bed. Now.
More and more tired with every step
. He was longing for his warm comfortable bed and to be able
to sleep there just as comfortably as you are doing right now, sleeping comfortably, now
. The more Roger thinks about his bed, the more
tired he becomes now and the more tired he is
, the more he longs for his bed back home which makes him and you
twice as tired. Now. You can fall asleep anytime
.

After a little while, they met the kind Sleepy Snail again, with his house on his back. Sleepy Snail had hardly gotten anywhere since last time they met. He is very slow, thought Roger, so he
must fall asleep easily now
.

Sleepy Snail was sleeping, and
barely noticed when
Roger The Rabbit passed him.

–
You will also fall asleep soon
, won't you? said Sleepy Snail.

—
Yes, I am so tired, all I want to do is, shut my eyes, now. I can see myself falling asleep, Roger answered to Sleepy Snail. Now. Continue to go deeper into sleep and also allow yourself to close your eyes again and fall asleep
[yawn]