Bedtime routine for anxious 8 year old

My husband and I have been together for 2 years now.  We each have 2 children from previous relationships and now have one together.  The ages are 1, 3, 5, 8 & 8.  My dilemma is this - my children, including the new baby, have always had a set bedtime & routine and have no problems following it.  My husband's children have always needed a parent with them to fall asleep.  His 8 year old daughter has developed GAD (with a touch of OCD) and EVERY night that she is with us is painful.  She begins asking "What time is?" around 7pm.  That then develops into "Do I look sleepy?" and "Do you think I'm going to fall asleep tonight?"  Each of these questions get repeated for the next 3-4 hours.  We had a routine in place that typically got her to sleep by 10:30pm (my children are asleep by 8-8:30), but lately it isn't working.  Can you please offer any suggestions on acceptable bedtime routines/procedures for a highly anxious child?  My anxiety is through the roof and I fear that I may need meds just to cope with her weekly visits.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

To be frank, such acute anxiety will not be well managed by a change in routine. It invites pharmacological treatment. My advice to you is to confer with a child psychiatrist for the purpose of giving your daughter some medication. She is suffering too much to let this continue.