What dreams say

Children’s dreams, like those of adults, hold the key to what they are experiencing at the moment. But their dreams are different as they usually focus on the present or on recent experiences, says pschotherapist Ashika Pohoomul.

Adults could have dreams that have been recurring since their childhood or dreams that symbolise a past incident. The dreams of younger children up to the age of five usually have no real story-line, but they frequently experience nightmares relating to their fears (strangers, monsters, loud noises.) By the time a child reaches his or her teens, their dream patterns are more adult-like.

Since symbols are the language of dreams, by paying close attention to them, you can tune into your child’s feelings and be warned of any distress he or she could be in. However, dreams have a context that is unique to each child and the following symbols are only a generalisation. If you think you have any cause for worry regarding your child’s nightmares, consult an expert. Here are some common symbols and what they mean:

Monsters
Children dream of different kinds of monsters. When a monster is chasing the child, yelling or threatening, he may not represent a situation as much as it does a person in his/her life.
Advice for parents
When an adult chastises, it frightens the child. So a monster probably represents that adult in the dream – it could be a parent, a teacher or any figure of authority. These dreams do not necessarily signify abuse, but they do indicate that your child may be experiencing something stressful, usually regarding someone close to him or her.

Falling
Dreams in which children fall from heights signal that they are feeling out of control. These usually happen when there is a sense of chaos.
Advice for parents
Talking and reassuring your child about what is causing them to feel off-balance helps. Your child will feel it’s alright to be worried, and that he/she can always talk to you about it. Often watching something frightening on TV can give children nightmares. If they are not able to articulate them well, nightmares can occur indefinitely. If the child has seen something scary on TV, parents should put them at ease. Just explaining that these are actors playing around with ketchup and make-up will also suffice.

Being trapped
Sometimes, a child repeatedly dreams of being trapped in a place such as a cupboard or a box, or is paralysed and can’t move. This theme was quite wide-spread in children’s dreams after the 26/11 attacks.
Advice for parents
Children often dream of being trapped when they are frightened and have no control over the situation. They may feel the issue that is scaring them is off limits for discussion, or they are trying to be brave and face it on their own. Inviting them to talk about what they are upset or scared about, and listening without interrupting them can help them.