Book Review: Dreamcatching

Full disclosure: I haven't actually finished the book yet.  It had to be put aside for a book club book that we're meeting about soon.  So, if the end isn't as good as the first part, my apologies.  However, what I've read so far is pretty great.

What I'm really enjoying about Dreamcatching is that the emphasis is on encouraging expression, creating a dialogue and simply enjoying exploring dreams with your children.  In fact, they encourage parents not too worry too much about interpreting dreams, and to mainly keep their ideas about the meanings to themselves.  The authors give an example of a little kid who dreams about scary monsters fighting and the dad says, "Oh, I think you might be concerned because you heard Mommy and I arguing about finances last night.  I think those monsters represented Mommy and I."  The little kid is like, "No way!  Those monsters were so scary and they were going to eat each other and me too!"  And after that the kid was much less eager to share his dreams.  They suggest acting on your impressions and addressing issues that arise, but to let the dream sharing remain creative and safe and let the child lead the discussions.

A whole glossary of sorts gives common themes and meanings of dreams and a Dream Catcher's Workbook gives parents and older children exercises to guide discussions and improve dream recall.  It also includes a worksheet of sorts that you can fill out to help jog your memory and recall more details.  Have you ever heard of lucid dreaming?  I have a girlfriend who really cultivated this and got to where she could guide events in her dreams and do all sorts of amazing things in her dreams.  I've always wanted to try this.  Although, where I'm at right now I'd really just settle for an uninterrupted night of sleep:)