Nightmares: Help chase away your child's nightmares
I have a five-year-old daughter who periodically has problems with nightmares. I am a full-time student and my husband is stationed in Korea for a year so I am essentially a single parent of two and the nightmares are here again. This time they involve a man breaking into our home and cutting off all our arms. Television is controlled but may still be a factor. How can I help my daughter?
Question:I'm sure it is frightening for your daughter to have her father stationed so far away from home, just as it must be for you.
It's important to talk with your daughter about what is bothering her. I would advise you to speak with her at a quiet moment during the day about the nightmares, and tell her that you two are going to work together to find out what thoughts are troubling her. Then, talk about how sad or frightening it is for you to have your husband away. And how hard it must be for her.
The dreams sound as if they center on the idea of how powerless she feels with her father away. So after the discussion about her dad, I would reassure her that you feel competent enough to take care of the family until he returns to help in that role. "It's sad that Daddy isn't here, but he'll be coming home. Meanwhile, I'm here to take care of you. That's what grownups do: they take care of the children they love."
If you have relatives nearby, it's a good time to see them, too. It may help your daughter feel safer to see all the people who love her.
Mainly, you need to keep talking to your daughter. There are also wonderful children's books about nightmares. One of them is called There's A Nightmare in My Closet. Books can help to calm a child's fears and help them laugh, as well.
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