How to Keep a Diary of Dreams

One thing most parents hate is feeling that they can't help their child. This feeling is common amongst parents whose children suffer from bad dreams and reoccurring nightmares. Their children awaken scared and crying, but mom and dad can't make the dreams stop. Keeping a dream diary might help you determine the source of the bad dreams, and help you control the triggers. Read on to learn how to keep a diary of dreams.

Things You'll Need

• Blank notebook
• Crayons
• Pencil
• Notebook
• Pens and pencils
• Dream dictionary

Instructions

Keep a Diary for Young Children

1. Buy a plain art book, and keep it by your child's bed. Very young children draw better than they explain, so let them draw out their bad dreams so you have an idea of what's going on when they dream.

2. Let them explain parts of the picture that you don't understand. Pay attention to anything in the dream that resembles something scary they may have seen or heard during the past few days or weeks.

3. Record the date and time in the corner of the drawing, along with any mental notes you made while your child was talking.

4. See if your child's bad dreams reflect shows, music or other environmental factors. If you notice that a certain cartoon pops up in their bad dream diary, don't let them watch it. See if this helps alleviate the bad dreams.

5. Speak to a therapist who specializes in nightmares and night terrors if your child's bad dreams continue, even after removing environmental factors that seem to cause the bad dreams. Bring the dream diary with you to appointments.

Keep a Diary for Older Children

1. Let your child pick out a notebook, and have them keep it next to their bed. Give them a couple of pencils and pens they can keep in a drawer, next to their bed.

2. Instruct your child that they should record any bad dreams, shortly after the dream awakens them. Have them write what they remember about the dream, how they felt in the dream and how they felt upon awakening.

3. Review your child's dream diary with them, discussing whether their dreams reflect something going on in their life, or something they happened to see or hear recently.

4. Get a dream dictionary and show your child how to look up what different dreams mean. This can help them relate their dreams to something other than scary thoughts.

5. Speak to a therapist if you can't pin down why your child is having bad dreams, and if the dreams severely interfere with their sleep pattern.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep track of your child's medications and foods. Certain chemicals in foods and medicines can cause your child's bad dreams. If you think chemicals are the cause, talk to your doctor before discontinuing medicines.