Do you believe in dreams?

[Lurking4now]

A few weeks ago, my three your old woke up in the middle of the
night absolutely hysterical.  I mean, I could barely get him
to breathe he was screaming and crying so hard.  So of course
I held him and rocked him, but he could hardly keep himself
together.  We stayed up for close to four hours before
exhaustion finally got the better of him, but he woke up scared and
crabby.  All he could/would tell me was that he had a bad
dream that he was floating on the ceiling and he didn't like it but
someone (he didn't know who) was keeping him there and wouldn't let
him down.  Off and on since then he's been scared about going
to sleep and had some night crying episodes that he doesn't
remember.  Well yesterday right before he fell asleep, he
mentioned that dream again.  I was confused at first, but then
he started to add more detail.  He said there was a little
black circle but it was closed.  He was floating next to a
bi---iiiiig brown circle that had stairs that went up and up and up
and up! And he didn't want to go on the stairs and they scared him.
 So I listened and soothed him and told him he didn't have to
go on the stairs and that I loved him and I would take care of him.
 He fell asleep holding my coat sleeve.  (we were driving
home from my in-laws, both in the back seat).<br>
<br>
I just don't know where he could have possibly gotten these images
from--he hasn't seen them on TV, movies, or whatnot.  I tend
to believe in dreams, but this is a bit too close for comfort even
for me.  It just does not sound like a three year old's
dream.<br>
<br>
I probably sound crazy, sorry.

 

[Mockingbird]

What exactly does a three year old's dream sound like? I'm no psychologist, but it sounds like a normal nightmare to me.

 

[JazzysMom]

Some children go thru night terrors which is much worse then nightmares. My daughter did at 3 & recently started again. Hers get to the point that she WILL not go back to sleep & I have actually kept her home from school just from the lack of sleep. We made changes to everything we could think of & tho it got better for a bit, it returned. All I can offer is to just keep reassuring your child & maybe go over what shows, movies or books have been read that might have triggered it. Remember it doesnt have to be exactly the image in the dream that was seen. Good Luck!

 

[65rosessamurai]

As far as children go, I think dreams are nothing more than the subconscious getting out. I don't recall the reasons, but things like going to school half dressed, or flying, had some significance to it. Probably the scary dreams (sometimes caused by a bad mix of some foods for some people) are a sign of fears coming in a different form.
I realize this spool is a little old, but thought I'd add to it.
As an adult, some dreams do tend to be true. Especially, if the dreams are repetitive. I had several dreams of the ex-wife and me being separated, but in the dreams, I'd return to her, until the last dream, which was scary, and caused my life to change forever!
The biggest dreams to be cautious of, are the ones where you go to the bathroom, but suddenly realize you don't know how you got there, or where you are. I was under a lot of stress a few times, and had those such dreams a couple of times! Needless to say, it was a close call, but embarrasing enough!
To a certain degree, I do believe in some dreams, yet when the most scarry ones seem so real, those ARE the ones I fear, too--especially when they are reoccuring!

 

[Beth]

My daughter who will be 3 in five days has been terrified to sleep alone for about the last month. She will try everything to not have to go to bed. When I ask her why she says that she doesn't want anyone to get her and that if she sleeps by herself someone will come and take her. I have no idea where she gets this from. She will wake up in the middle of the night, screaming for mommy and daddy and then spend the rest of the night in our bed.


Beth