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| Photo taken during dropoff for Ancestral Knowledge class in Virginia |
In the middle of the night last night, I felt a hand rubbing my back. I popped my head up and looked first in Dave's direction. Since he was fast asleep, I glanced the other way. Eamon was standing by the bed. He wanted me to lay down with him; he had a bad dream. I walked with him to his bedroom, climbed into his twin bed and held him. Almost immediately he asked to name "Good Things." It was a routine I started when he was very young. When he would awaken in the middle of the night, I would try to refocus his mind. Instead of fretting about the dream, I would have him list five good things. We would go back and forth naming items until the good thoughts replaced the bad.
I really like our "Good Thoughts" tradition. Not only does it calm my kiddos' upset minds, but it gives me another glimpse into their thoughts. I am always struck by what each of them picks for their list. Eamon is my most frequent dreamer of unsettling things, so he has the most experience with our "Good Things" practice. His list last night included family, friends, books, rocks, and the outdoors. Occasionally it includes Minecraft, but I like that it always includes his parents and his siblings - often by name.
<3 what a great tradition. when my kids have a rough time going to sleep they will ask for a dream. i usually go a sort of guided meditation, something calming and usually in nature. :)
ReplyDeleteVery sweet. <3
ReplyDeleteI love this kind of routine, we do similar at bedtime too. I hope he slept well after that.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet and a lovely tradition to have with the kids. I do that myself and when I journal every day I list what I'm grateful for. Sets the day for a good day!
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