DD's Nightmare!

[Kelsie]

I have been planning this cruise since April as a gift to my 7 year old. This has been a difficult year for her with heart problems and her heart surgery last month. I had promised her as soon as she was feeling better, we would do the cruise (our 2nd, we cruised in 2000 and she loved it). She has really been looking forward to the cruise, especially since we are departing on her Birthday (9/21)...... until last night. It seems she had 2 dreams, one where we were all stuck on a deserted island with no food and no light and the other was being folded up in the pull-down bed she will be sleeping in since my Mother will have the couch. She woke up scared to death about the cruise (ugh!). I know she will get over it but I was wondering if your kids ever had these fears?

 

[wovenwonder]

No words of wisdom to offer to you Kelsie --- just {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}} for your daughter. Hope she doesn't have anymore nightmares.

 

[Kelsie]

Thanks Jody It seems that since the surgery, she is afraid of almost everything. Sleeping alone, school, etc. We discussed this with the Doctor and he feels that it should pass. I will not make her sleep in the pull-down if it scares her that much (always room for her next to me ).

 

[tstobb]

My DS9 is terrified of the safety drill.

 

[SweetSpot]

Kelsie, I hope your DD is able to let go of the fear before the cruise but I bet she will be able to forget once she is onboard and so busy with other things.

How bad is the safety drill? My son needs to be warned of fire drills at school, mainly because of the noise, but also because of the general fear something bad could happen.

Is the safety drill anything more than telling us where we need to be and how to use your life vests?

 

[tstobb]

For the drill, you get into your life vest and report to your lifeboat station. They call out your room number to make sure everybody shows up & then you go & party. We've been through it over & over with our DS (DD4 & DS7 think it will be fun) but he has always been a worrier.

 

[Kelsie]

My DD hated the safety drill also. It was hot, humid and crowded but it was short

 

[DreamsDoComeTrue]

Kelsie, maybe if the fear continues, you can pull out that all powerful Mommie wand, and just solve things. In addition to sharing your bed, you can give her a fanny pack or purse to wear that has yummy snacks and a little flashlight. She'll probably get tired of, and abandon it soon, but she'll know that you gave her fears respectful consideration and empowered her to not be hungry in the dark or be folded up in a bed, ya know?
Good luck with this one. "Look to Love for solutions"
Lori

 

[BeanoC]

"Accentuate the positive"...

Do you have lots of pictures or videos from your first cruise?
Sit down together and play "remember when".

Remind her of how much fun she had. Often times, kids can and will dream about the things on their mind as they fall asleep. Next time you tuck her in, try reminiscing about something fun you did on Castaway Cay, etc. Hopefully it will invoke a much happier dream that night! Maybe this will get her over the hump...

Think good thoughts.



'Beano'

 

[candleonwater]

My daughter has recently developed the fear of the boat sinking... and this will be her second cruise. Possibly letting her watch Speed 2 wasn't the best thing! I assured her that if she wanted to... she could wear her "arm floaties" the entire cruise... her response was "even in the kids club? Wow!"... now she has settled down...