Rocking the baby to sleep

How the hell do you get a toddler to go to sleep when he doesn't want to...?! 

Tonight we were due to have dinner at 8pm - the itinerary for the day stated that children were eating at 5pm (yep, we missed that and had to have good cooked for us by the on-site chef). Quiet time from 6.30 and dinner for adults only from 8pm.... The pressure of having two children asleep by a set time - so that we could have fun.   Nope, very few people managed it and all that could be heard from the tents were crying children.  

The youngest went to sleep wonderfully, the oldest was pushed up and down a track for 40 minutes (in vain). The farmer was busy getting in the hay in the field opposite the top of the track and provided a great backdrop for the endless walking up and down.  

Finally, he went to sleep - the youngest woke up and came to grown up dinner with me.  The meal was divine. 

The eldest boy was at forest school this morning and came back in tears - a sure sign that toasting marsh-mellows and making mud pies was super, super good fun.   As he had to be accompanied by an adult, I spent the morning with the youngest, drinking coffee, reading the paper and catching up with old friends.  It was utterly wonderful. 

All in all, we've all had just such a lovely day.