Children's Bedtime Tea

Reader Contribution by Sarah Hart Boone
Published on February 7, 2012
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  • I recently purchased some herbal tea for my children to drink before bedtime. They love the box with the bear in front of the fireplace, they love the idea of having a tea party before bed and we believe the tea helps them to sleep better. I am now looking at a lifetime of night time tea drinking. Instead of spending $4 for a box of 20 tea bags, possibly indefinitely, I decided to try for some DIY bedtime tea. At Christmas time we usually make a big batch of healing herbal tea and package it to give as gifts. I decided to change the mix of herbs and make a children’s bedtime tea.
  • We could just copy the exact ingredients from the herbal tea box but that’s no fun! I got my beloved Rosemary Gladstar Herbal out and made a list of herbs that would render my children willing and eager to hit the hay at night. Then I visited my pantry to see what I had on hand (only lavender and peppermint saved from the garden) and visited the herb store to get my remaining supplies. Because dried herbs run the gamut from dirt cheap to prohibitively expensive, I used my list as a guide, not a recipe. If something was unavailable or too pricey, I simply left it out. Here are some herbs that are typically included in “Bedtime” mixes. You can use the list to create your own bedtime blend.
  • • Borage
    • Calendula
    • Catnip (use sparingly. It is bitter.)
    • Chamomile
    • Cinnamon (use a few pinches only.)
    • Feverfew
    • Hops
    • Lavender (use sparingly. It has a strong taste.)

    • Lemon balm
    • Oats
    • Orange peel
    • Passionflower
    • Rose hips (crush in a mortar and pestle or spice mill.)
    • St. John’s Wort
    • Stevia (a natural sweetener. A little goes a very long way.)

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