Taking It Home
Part of Chalice Children
Come dream a dream with me, that I might know your mind. — from "Come, Sing a Song with Me," Hymn 346 in Singing the Living Tradition
IN TODAY'S SESSION . . . the theme was "We wonder about dreams." Unitarian Universalist religious educator Sophia L. Fahs identified a child's realization that the world of reality sensed during wakefulness is different from the reality sensed in sleep as one of the 12 main types of experiences connected with natural religious development in young children. She suggests that this realization leads to an appreciation for that which is invisible in the personality. In this congregation, we celebrate the wonder of dreams.
EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER . . . Read some of the books suggested for this session:
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, 1947. This bedtime classic offers the comfort of quiet repetition.
- Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, 2013. The dream train pulls into the station, and one by one the train cars are loaded.
- Stormy Weather by Debi Gloiri, 2009.As a mama fox tucks her baby into bed, she soothes his nighttime fears of the storm outside his window with the promise of watching over him while he sleeps, just like all other baby animals around the world.
EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try . . . telling one another about your dreams, over breakfast together.
A Family Discovery. The UUA provides the Families pages in UU World magazine for sharing at home. "Sacred rest: The beauty and purpose of the dark" was the theme of the Spring, 2013 Families pages which you can access online (PDF format, 4 pages) for stories, activities, and reflections related to the themes of this session, with a focus on the inviting, comforting, and wonderful aspects of nighttime.
A Family Game. Play "bedtime" with your child and their favorite stuffed animal. At a time which is not their usual time to go to sleep, give your child a blanket and have them pretend to tuck in their stuffed animal for the night.
A Family Ritual. Sing a favorite song or songs at bedtime each night to remind your family of the love and deep peace that you share.