Bad Dreams

I woke to a frantic scurry in Bug's room.  I could hear she was moving fast and called for me with panic in her voice.  I quickly went into her room and as I opened the door she was already saying to me, "no spiders on bed, mommy."  Oh no, must be a bad dream about the spider we saw at the zoo (the one she kept going back to see over and over).  I tried telling her there weren't any spiders and she was having a bad dream.  Then it went from the bed to anything-big or small-that was on the floor.  A piece of fuzz to a sock turned in on itself. Again, I tried reassuring her there were no spiders.  She kept looking at me in the most serious way and telling me otherwise.  On the walls.  Ceiling. Pillows.  Under the covers.  Under the bed.  It was brutal.  This went on for 20 minutes and I couldn't convince her otherwise.  She was terrified from all these spiders and it broke my heart.  But I decided something in that moment.  I was going to help her fight these spiders.  They weren't going to win.

I didn't know what else to say and the reassuring hugs weren't working.  She was still convinced there were spiders everywhere.  Her trembling body was a dead giveaway she was serious.  In her eyes, there were spiders everywhere.  I needed to come up with something quick.  How can I make her feel better?  Quick thinking at 6 in the morning isn't easy to do.  Then I remembered it.  I ran into the bathroom (with Bug right behind me) and grabbed it.  She looked at me puzzled and said, "spray bottle?"  I told her it wasn't just a spray bottle but a Super Spider Spray Bottle.  She was looking at me as if I had lost it (or maybe had a spider on my head).  We went back into her room and I had her show me "where" the spiders were.  She pointed to the bed.  I sprayed it.  Then the floor.  Then the walls.  I sprayed the corners of her room.  She was totally into it and asked to spray.  Sure kiddo, have at it, get those spiders.  I was so happy she wanted to take control of what was going on.  She sprayed everything and I helped her with the things she couldn't get.  I moved the chair, looked under the covers and most importantly, lifted her bed to get all the spiders under there.* 

Later that morning we were doing art and she started painting the spiders.  They were big and red with thick legs.  Just like the ones she described to me that morning.  I proud I was able to help her work through this scary dream and we came up with an interesting, yet effective way to combat those pesky spiders.  And I was so proud she was able to use art to express her feelings and her dreams.  She was able to show me what they looked like.  We got 'em.  Take that spider!     



Bug's picture of the spiders

*Fortunately we did not find any real spiders anywhere.  For the record I hate spiders.  Hate them.  But I have never said anything to Bug or made a big deal when they're in the house.  I want her to form her own opinion of things, not to be skewed by mine.