I hear the secrets that you keep
When you’re talking in your sleep….
And all your dreams that you keep inside
You’re telling me the secrets that you just can’t hide
Even though I don’t know your kids, I’ve often said that mine are better than yours. And although I’m not backing off those sentiments, I sometimes think that I must be doing something wrong to be raising and exposing my child to an environment that causes him to have nightmares.
I know he has nightmares because he occasionally talks in his sleep. Well. Not necessarily talking as opposed to crying and screaming.
Oh. And not always occasionally either as last night he was crying and yelling about every 20 minutes or so and that’s not an exaggeration. The wife and I easily heard him 10 to 15 times last night mentioning the horrors that filled his head.
All while he was sleeping. And dreaming. Four-year olds shouldn’t have to go through this. Ever.
So what does a 4-year old dream about? What possibly could be so tough in his life that would cause those precious little dreams of his to be nightmarish?
Seriously. How can Percy cause nightmares?
I’ll tell you what? Easter presents. More specifically Trackmaster Percy and Trackmaster Victor. (Yeah, tough I know.)
He was crying in his sleep that the batteries weren’t working. He was upset that his train wouldn’t go backwards. He was mad because his twin had taken Percy, which was his, and NOT Victor, which was his brother’s gift.
Can you imagine? Most of us have to live with bills, taxes, car problems, daily commutes, and job stress and this little guy was having a nighttime ordeal because his train would only move forward and not backwards.
And in typical messed-up dream sequencing – he also was devastated that he wasn’t the line leader at school. (I don’t get it either, but oh the humanity!)
Some parents expose their pre-kindergarten kids to such things as violent video games, the Ironman movies, or any ESPN special featuring an NBA basketball player. I won’t say that they are are bad parents, but that’s certainly not something that I would do.
Still. At least that explains why other kids might have nightmares.
Yet for me – if Son #2’s worst dream at this point in his life is that he either missed the bus or his favorite Thomas the Tank Engine DVD is scratched – then you know: maybe I am doing something right.
And just to let you know: I won’t apologize if you now have that The Romantics song in your head for the rest of the day. As a matter of fact, here’s the video…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwT9ltDBG14&w=420&h=315]
