My ex-wife used to do that to our kids. Was not a fan of taking any meds not prescribed by a doctor and a valid need. I just add that to a pile of reasons we are no longer married.

Of all the sleep aids to give, melatonin is the better option. It’s not really a drug. It’s a natural hormone the pineal gland in the brain produces to induce sleep.
As your body is designed to respond to melatonin, you get high quality sleep without the grogginess in the morning that is so common with drugs.

Furthermore, the biochemistry of melatonin is linked to the production of serotonin, an important mood stabilising hormone.

I came to say what @Gingery said. I'm British, we can't buy melatonin here. It was prescribed in 10mg tablets for my son because he has ADHD and settling to sleep has always been extremely hard for him. The physiology of how it works has already been said. It's not a damaging addictive drug but a hormone that works with your body. I'm sure your parents were doing the best job they knew how to.

Do you find getting to sleep naturally is hard now?

Never heard of it tbh.
If you have trouble getting to sleep nowadays, that might be why 🤷
Try reading at bedtime, or watching head massage videos - from a fellow insomniac 😊