Sweet Dreams...and not so nice ones!

Everyone dreams!  Observation of babies sleeping suggests that even babies dream, although no one knows what dreams they experience.  People who have been blind from birth dream, they tend to have heightened dreams of senses other than sight, such as smell or feel.  This suggests that babies could dream in other senses, as well as having visual dreams of what they have experienced.  From the ages of 3 - 8, children tend to have more nightmares than they do in later life.  Toddlers may find it particularly difficult to express that they have had a bad dream because of their evolving language and understanding, they may not even understand the notion of a dream!  They may awake from their sleep in a crying fit, but may not be able to express what has frightened them, even if they remember.  If your toddlers wake in distress, you should stay with them and sooth them until they are calm again. Turn the light on so that they can see that they are in their bedroom and safe, and make sure that they have their familiar toys to cuddle.