Three kids, three issues

My kids are smart, funny and extremely beautiful, but they all have issues. Not major issues, but minor ones that get under my skin. I'd love some insight (or big-time help!) from anyone out there who isn't at the end of their parenting rope.

Kid #1:

Bryce, who is six, does not like to go to bed. Some of it is genetic, I think. His dad comes from a long line of night-owls, but his mom is totally an early bird. We put Bryce to bed each night sometime between 7 and 7:30pm. He stays in bed, or at least stays in his room, until he falls asleep, but it will often take him until 9:30 or 10 to actually drift off. If he were quiet, that wouldn't bother me, but he spends a lot of the evening calling out for us to come up and answer questions for him. Or else there's a monster in his closet (thanks, Grandma Gwen, for buying us this book). Or else he needs a drink of water. Or a story. Or pretty much anything that will get us to spend our precious alone time running up and down the stairs all night. Most of the kid-sleep books focus on babies, so I'm not really sure where I should go with this one. I'd love to get him in a better routine before August 10th, when school starts again and he's a zombie in the mornings.

Kid #2:

Annie is four and has always been pretty independent. When she started preschool at 2-1/2, most of the other kids in the class clung desperately to their mothers, but she wanted me to leave. But over the last few months she has gotten positively paranoid anytime we're separated from each other. She doesn't want to play at friends' houses. She doesn't want me to go to the store without her. She doesn't even want me to leave her at home with Daddy to take a run without her. I love the girl, but sometimes I need a little break, and it's much nicer to take a break if I don't have to feel guilty about inflicting pain on the people who watch her in my absence.

Kid #3:

Isaac is 20 months. He has recently taken to peeing every time I take his diaper off. It's annoying and wet and sort of smelly. But he obviously thinks it's funny since he shrieks and dances and says "potty! potty!"

I know, I know, if these are my biggest struggles, I have it easy. But I'd like to have it just a little bit easier, and if any of you can help me, I sure would appreciate it!

--originally published 7/7/06