violent nightmares for 5 yr old dd

[sansouci]

Dd woke us up again last night after a particularly violent nightmare... she dreamt that a dog was eating her favourite doll's head! She awoke screaming. Dh and I try not to worry too much about dd's bad dreams, but this one seems particularly awful. When I brought her "baby Charlottie" with me to collect dd from school this afternoon, dd snatched the doll up with relief, saying "You're not broken anymore, Charlottie!" Any ideas?

Can't really help hugely - I used to have violent nightmares too - one really horrible one about my dad being murdered particularly upset me. But I can say it passed and I'm none the worse for it. I think you just have to try and be as consoling as possible whilst explaining that dreams aren't real. I often slept with my mum and dad which helped.

Thanks ionesmum. I did point out to dd that "dreams aren't real" when she exclaimed over the doll's lack of damage! Sometimes you really wonder what goes on in those little minds.

I know! I think it's the fact that you experience emotions when dreaming, so she'd experienced how she felt seeing her dolly get broken. It's hard to understand that emotions can be unreal at that age. All you can do is just keep on with that message!