NIGHTMARES IN CHILDREN

Can you remember a nightmare that plagued you as a child? Most people are able to recall their childhood nightmares. You hear many stories about being haunted by ghost, the zombies chase, or even drop into the deep sea. Interestingly toddlers do not dream not till they are at the age of three to four years old. I remember my son when he was four he told me that he had a dream about this scary monster chasing him.

In the world of a toddler is full of new experience and discoveries that continually expand in their life. Nightmare strikes children much more often than adults. Normally they ensue around the age of three and continue to crop up until the age of seven or older. Nightmare in children can easily cause by even flash of lighting, thunderstorm sound when the children started to experience in life. Bullies from school, homework pressure, behaviour problems or even learning difficulties will result nightmare in children.

It is important for parents to understand that if we are not careful we can be the cause of our child’s nightmare too. What do I mean? It all depends upon how you communicate with your children when they are as young as a toddler. If you choose to bring discipline teaching by using fear and violent punishment, then I think most likely your child will grow up with nightmare as part of their life.

What kind of fear teaching am I referring to? For instance, you will say this to your child, “if you do not go to sleep, the monster will come and catch you.” Or to the baby, when the baby is crying, instead of using love and prayer to calm the baby emotional feelings down, you choose to shout at the baby, or choose to scold the baby with negative word such as you are useless, or you are such a burden to my life, or you only know how to cry. All these negative teachings will result spiritual damages in your children’s life. Causing fear, trauma or feeling unloved.

The other side that will bring nightmare to your young children is through violent television programs. Killing, destruction or scary movies. All these should not be introduced to your young children’s life as they have no understanding the impact that will cause onto their inner spirit.

How do you handle children with nightmares? Prayer is the most important! Identify the root cause of the nightmare is very useful. If you understand what God is saying to you thru your children’s nightmare, you will know how to treat the root cause and bring it to death on the cross. Help your children thru communicating love languages to them, they don’t ask for nightmare. You need to help those children who has nightmare to learn how to pray for themselves and also educate them to pray to God at all times whenever they are facing fear attack or emotional distress.

My second daughter, she is eight now. She told me one day she has this bad dream which is very scary. I then talked to her and understand the content of the bad dream. She realised that she has watched some scary cartoon film that night before she went to bed. Hence she asked God for forgiveness and asked God to take away the scary monster. That really helps her, thereon she refuses to watch any scary movies, and she always pray that God takes away all her bad dreams before she goes to sleep.

Have a habit to pray for your children, toddlers or even when the child is first conceive in the mother’s womb. Bring in positive teachings and guidance into your children life. Always remember to speak word of love, encouragement and support in their life.

In my next edition, I will share with you how a young lady (real life testimony) since childhood nightmares has not been properly dealt with and has transformed into Night Terror in her young adult life.

Our dream interpretation ministry also teaches you how to interpret your own dreams. We would like to share one nightmare and its interpretation. Please take note that we do not personally know the dreamer when we interpret the dreams. It is thru the discernment of the Holy Spirit.

Live Dream: Chase by Zombie

5 years old dream
I dreamed that I was in my house. Then there is a zombie came into the house and chased me around. I was so scared and I went hiding in daddy’s study room. Later I saw mommy came to look for me. Then my mommy took the sword and slayed the zombie into half. I woke up feeling so scared.

Dream Interpretation:

You have been exposed to fearful teaching in your life. House symbolise oneself. You need to depart from all these. Zombie represents the fear in your life. Father symbolise God figure. Mommy is the authority. God is ensuring you that you can hide under His protection. (and I went hiding in daddy’s study room) Sword is the word of God. You need to pray and ask God to break those fear in you. Psalm 91:3-6 (NIV) “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart You will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Written by: Mary Chu (Dream team leader)
Copyright: Fire Stone 7 Dream Centre