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And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark 4:37-41; NKJV)
It’s been an interesting phenomenon to watch how all the vagaries of the past several months have unfolded themselves. Due to my daughter’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), she has struggled with insomnia. It was so profound and extreme, yet the solution was so simple – leave her door open at night. We’ve done that for just about a month now, and she goes to sleep much more quickly than she ever did, and it’s a peaceful night for everyone!
Just in time for my oldest to develop fears around bedtime. He had high temperatures due to an ear infection that triggered a couple of seizures – seizures we later found out were hallmarks of epilepsy.
Both seizures occurred during the transition from sleep to wakefulness, so he associates them with bedtime – a reasonable conclusion for a child to make. And, just as we did with our daughter, we’ve explained that God is watching over our children as they sleep, as are Mommy and Daddy. All of our children know this on a rational level, however, fears are often anything but rational.
For my oldest son, we’ve read a book about the brain for homeschool. It’s my hope that empowering him with information will help take away some of the fear around the diagnosis, and also show him what an amazing Designer we serve. We’re seeking out support groups and getting lots of age-appropriate information about the condition.
But I think the thing that has been most meaningful to him is a new nightly ritual we’ve started. When he was very small, I used to make up a story about a young prince. It began the same exact way, with the same exact words, night after night after night, to the point where he could even recite it with me. So, now, I’ve used that format to help him relax for bedtime. We use imagery to help him settle down for the night. I tell him that it’s time to flip the switch and shut down the factory for the night. There’s a little man who does this and after ensuring the night watchman is on duty, he leaves for home on the commuter train. He’s so tired by the time he gets home, that he plops down on the couch with a quick bite, and before his favorite show can come on (we pick something a little different each night), he falls asleep. I stay with him and stroke his head for a few minutes, and he settles right down.
It’s interesting, because with our daughter we tried stories, aromatherapy, massage, and just about everything you could think of – all to no avail. So it has been incredibly interesting to see how each child responds to different stimulus.
Thankfully, both children seem to have found something that works to help them with their fears. We’re tremendously blessed that the God of all comfort can allow my children to experience peace.
Photo credit: Stock Xchng
