Thank You, Paul

"He who sings scares away his woes."

~ Cervantes

I'll come right out and say this post is a bit odd.  But, in the middle of the night, when I was having this conversation with my 6 year old, I was awake enough to appreciate it and tired enough to think it might be worth sharing.  It was 2:30am and my younger daughter was crying, totally "freaked out" (her words), and unable get back to sleep.  After multiple conversations and a trip down to the basement (by me) to get the item that was causing the issue, the problem was resolved - sort of.  Actually, I'm not sure we resolved anything, but our final solution was to put music on with the hopes that it would clear her head and lull her to sleep.  Enter Paul Simon, the master of mellow.  In the end, I'm sure the reason she finally succumbed to sleep was mainly because she had been up for 30 minutes and her little eyes couldn't stay open anymore.  But, I like to think that music had a lot to do with it.  No doubt it calmed her nerves and eventually helped her nod off, which for me, at that hour, was all that I cared about.  Here's how our conversation played out:

Grace: (who had just shuffled into my room and was poking me) Mom, I have bad thoughts in my head and I can't get them out.
Me: Oh no.  Let's get them out.  Come on, I'll tuck you back in and we'll think of some good things.
Grace: I keep thinking about my American Girl doll.
Me: The one in the basement?
Grace: Uh huh.  When I close my eyes, I see her coming upstairs and scaring me.
--->Gotta love Halloween.  Both fun AND scary.
Me: Grace, that's a doll.  She's sweet and you like to play with her.  And she's all the way downstairs.
Grace:  I know.  But, still.  In my head, she's mean and I keep seeing her that way when I try to sleep.  Rosie (her sister, age 8) told me a story about a doll who comes alive and hurts people.

The doll that was "freaking her out"
(The hair alone freaks me out, so I kind of get it)

---> Wow.  Nice work, Rosie.  Next time I'm going to wake her up and make her deal with this.  Add mental note to have a little chat with her tomorrow.
Me: (At this point, I was getting really tired, losing patience & ideas)  That's silly, Grace.  Would it help if I go get the doll and bring her in my room.  She'll be with dad and I.  You will be totally safe and you can think about things that make you happy.  Let's come up with something now.  Thanksgiving with Gran and Grandaddy?  Your birthday?  Candy?
Grace: Okay, I want to think about my cousins, Katherine, Elizabeth and Will.
Me: Perfect.  They always make you smile.  And they just got a new puppy, so you can add that in there.
Grace: Is he wild?
Me: Who?
Grace: The puppy?
---> I saw where this was going...crazy, wild, scary puppy
Me: No.  He's adorable.  He sleeps, eats and plays.
Grace: Does he drink from a bottle?
Me: No.  Wait...what?  Grace, can we roll with this now?  Do you think you can close your eyes and sleep with these good thoughts?
Grace: I'll try
---> No dice.  I hear sniffling and whimpering within minutes.  So, I go back in.
Me: Grace, come on.  We have to get some sleep.  What are we going to do?  
Grace: I don't KNOW.  I can't help it. 
Me: How about some music?
Grace: Okay.

I put on Paul Simon's Graceland, one of our favorites, with the hope that his soothing voice would take her to dreamland.  Who knows where she ended up going; hopefully somewhere bright and sunny with her cousins.  Wherever she went, the bad thoughts were gone.  And that's all that matters.  In the end, music was the answer.  Thank you, Paul.  I owe you one.  Big time.

Listen to this:
Coffee Kids - Be the Bear