And What If You Dream a Sweet Dream?

“And What if You Dream a Sweet Dream?” is a little game that I like to play at bedtime with my girls. At this current point in our lives, bad dreams and what-ifs are causing unrest for our 5-year-old daughter. Just a few nights ago she had a really bad dream that not only woke her up in the middle of the night, but also caused her to feel uneasiness for a few days. “And What if You Dream a Sweet Dream?” allows us to chat a bit and create positive thoughts before bed, while distracting her from her otherwise upsetting what-ifs.

Sweet Dreams Baby Girl

“What ifs” are one of the biggest enemies for people that worry constantly. For my 5-year-old, what-ifs consume her nighttime thoughts and fears. “Mommy, what if the walls fall down while I’m sleeping? What if a bad guy comes and takes me?” These are just a few examples of some of the questions that she’s asked me over the last two years. And while I totally understand that her fears are indeed real to her, I like to take her what-ifs and put a positive spin on them.

“And what if you dream a sweet dream?” This is the question that I like to ask her on nights when her what if monsters come out. Her and her sister both love this question. It opens a door for all kinds of fun and possibilities. Even if they don’t end up dreaming the sweet dreams they envision, it changes the tone of the conversation and distracts both of them from the scary nighttime what-ifs.

What If, Sweet Dream Version…

“What if I dream that I’m swimming in an ocean where the water is Kool-Aid and the fish are Swedish Fish? The sand would be crushed graham crackers. The boats in the water would be gummy boats and the people on the boats would be Sour Patch Kids.”

This example is one of the more recent sweet dreams that our 5-year-old has envisioned. I absolutely love it. I always make sure to add in a few suggestions here and there, feeding into their creativity and imaginations.

“What if I dream that I’m walking through a forest? It’s a candy forest. All of the trees are cotton candy. The dirt is Oreos. Instead of flowers, there are lollipops growing from the ground.” For some reason I always envision the trees with pink cotton candy. It almost takes me back to “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss.

If you haven’t noticed by now, my kids really take the “sweet dream” aspect literally. Most of the time candy is involved. But I love it. And it gets them settled, putting their minds at ease.

My Dream

My dream is that one day my girls will learn to take control of their what-ifs. I know that one day my 5-year-old will start going to bed on her own, no sweet scenarios necessary. But for now, I will continue to enjoy the innocence and whimsy of their sweet dreams.

My other dream? To one day take their sweet dreams and turn them into a children’s book. It’s an idea I have had for some time now. But for now, I will keep nurturing their sweet minds, teaching them to fight those nasty what-ifs that turn their dreams into nightmares.

-Meg