Thanks for your very helpful replies.

Iam reminded of my eldest who was champion bedtime terrorist in our family! He never seemed to need sleep. In comparison my daughter is nowhere near as bad. She actually likes the concept of going to bed and going to sleep, she just wants my full participation in the event! This seems cyclical beacuse there were times during her short life where she did settle to sleep on her own. I've tried the excuses for leaving the room before, (and believe me they are real things I need to do) and it worked for a while but not anymore. Last night I limited the stories and song to the magic No. 3 (very big in our house at the moment) and she did try and prolong it but I was firm and although I did have to stay until she slept it was a shorter time. Thinking back, my second son went through a time of seperation anxiety at about the same age - when my sister-in-law died in a car accident leaving two small daughters - and he suddenly realised that mummies could disappear for ever. I have noticed that the word "died" has just appeared in my daughter's vocabulary - maybe from watching the Lion King? Perhaps she is at a similar place. At any rate, I'm too soft hearted not to stay when she pleads to hold my hand at bedtime. I'll see how it goes. I also made tonight's dinner yesterday so I can have more time with her this evening, maybe tire her with some physical activity - and have her drop off to dreamland sooner. I'm holding Dotsie's bath idea in reserve.

Anyway, thanks for the generous and wise support in my little problem, really just a ripple on the sea of life compared to the problems being dealt with by others.