Dear Cynthia: The strangest dream I’ve ever...

Dear Cynthia: The strangest dream I’ve ever had was when I dreamed that I was swimming in a cup of chocolate. A giant kid came and tried to smash me. I ran as fast as I could, then I saw my dad and he was the same size. He picked me up by my pants and started to run!

--Octavio, 9, Corona School, Ontario

Dear Octavio: So there you were minding your own business, floating on top of a cup of hot chocolate like a marshmallow, when yikes, a giant kid comes along!

There will always be bigger kids, and that can be pretty intimidating. From your dream, it seems you may be worried that if you relax and have fun, you might get hurt. Not all big guys are bullies, though. Often, a little guy can win by being smarter and using the right words to handle a situation.

But your dad saved the day! He is your hero, so practice with him. Let him pretend to be a “bully” and you can practice ways of handling the situation.

*

Dear Cynthia: In my dream, I woke up in the morning and went down to breakfast and everything was small!

I went back to my room to get dressed and my school clothes were too small. They looked like they were for babies! When I woke up, I told my mom and she said it was because I am too big.

--Christian, 10, Corona School, Ontario

Dear Christian: If you actually are growing out of your clothes so fast, maybe you are in a growing spurt. Most of the time, we grow so gradually that we hardly notice from day to day. But once in a while our bodies seem to grow overnight!

It can feel awkward getting used to our larger size. But don’t worry, it will even out.

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Dream Tip: To have cheerful dreams, try thinking about happy things just before going to sleep. Picture your favorite place or your favorite activity. Some favorites might include a fairyland, unicorns, bicycle riding, Christmas, Grandma’s house, the park and beach. Write down each suggestion separately, then put those pieces of paper into a bag and choose one. Think about that one as you go to sleep.

--CYNTHIA RICHMOND

In Your Dreams runs on Wednesday. Send a short description of your dream (50 words or fewer) to In Your Dreams, Southern California Living, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053; e-mail cynthrich@aol.com; or fax (213) 237-0732. Please include your name, age, hometown or school, and phone number.