Dear Cynthia: I have a recurring nightmare...
Dear Cynthia: I have a recurring nightmare that my house is being attacked by slugs, cockroaches and other slimy creatures. I saw the bugs come in and crawl all over my prized possessions. It leaves off with them getting close to me and my family. Is this related to stress or fears? I have been trying to figure out what it means for years.
--Sam, 10, Tarzana
Dear Sam: It could be that something is really bugging you whenever you have this dream! These creepy and slimy bugs seem to attack your prized possessions and are trying to get to you and your family. What really bugs you?
Some people dream about bugs when something in their lives needs to be cleaned up. This could be physical cleaning, like organizing your room, for instance, or a misunderstanding between you and someone close to you that needs to be cleaned up. Try to figure out what is going on in your life when you have this dream. If there is some area that needs cleaning up, go to it.
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Dear Cynthia: I dreamed that all these robots were after me. They got a big gun and shot at me. My mom and my brother Dexter got away.
--Kelly, 6 1/2, Echo Park
Dear Kelly: It is not unusual to have such frightening dreams. Robots are mechanized beings. No heart or emotions, just nuts and bolts!
I wonder whether some insensitive person said something to you that hurt your feelings? Sometimes people say things that hurt our feelings, and they don’t realize it. Oftentimes they didn’t mean to hurt us at all. If this happens, try talking it over with them right away. Handling things as soon as you feel them can help to avoid stress.
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DREAM TIP: For help in remembering your dreams, have paper and pencil at your bedside. When you wake up, write down what you remember. If you prefer, you can draw a picture of your dream, or ask an adult to help you write it down.
In Your Dreams runs on Wednesday. Please send a short description of your dream (50 words or fewer) to In Your Dreams, So Cal Living, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A., CA 90053 or e-mail cynthrich@aol.com or fax (213) 237-0732.