About Movie

It Depends on the Child

The first problem with trying to keep bad dreams to a minimum is that different children have different perceptions about their worlds. With very young children (1-2 years old), you may not be able to reason with them very much. Additionally, they may not be able to explain what scared them in their dream. As they get older, it gets easier. Then, you can get more detail from them as their vocabulary increases and they can tell the difference between real and not real - between the dream and their real life.

The TV Dilemma

Often parents shelter their children from the television because of scary images. It is a good rule of thumb to keep your children watching age-appropriate shows to tame their dreams. However, there will be times when they cannot be sheltered from what they see. And those are the times that require some additional attention. First, you must be aware that your child has seen scary images (whether you are watching television with them yourself, or they have seen it at a friend's house). Second, this awareness can only be achieved through open and regular communication with your child. It requires parents to be sensitive to the children's presence in the room and to talk with their children daily about their experiences at school, daycare, or in their friends' homes. Finding time to speak and listen to your children is a key element in helping them deal with the world around them!

In addition, it may be a good idea to turn the TV off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Even with a children's show, the brain stimulation that occurs can keep them in an alert state that is more readily receptive to images in their dreams.

When Bad Dreams Do Occur

Obviously no matter what you do as parents, bad dreams will occur! Getting to the root of what has scared the child usually keeps them from being scared the next time. That means more communication, but most importantly, really listening to the child's descriptions of the "monsters" they see, the surroundings they envision, and the key characters in the dream. All of these are clues to what they really may fear, or the event which may have transpired, or images the child has seen. These fears can be explained away if the child is able to rationalize (ex. "That bear in the movie lives in the woods, don't worry there are no bears around here."), but most importantly, never underestimate the power of a good hug! The words "Mommy (or Daddy) is here and you are safe," while snuggled in your arms seems to work wonders for reducing fears in most children.