In my book, The Dream Machine, I spend time discussing the implications and application of Dreams within work settings. But what about dreaming at home, with your spouse, or dreaming with your kids?
In my many Dream-Storming Workshops and Dreams Retreats, I’ve noticed that younger individuals seem to have an easier time with the whole dreams process. It’s natural that at younger ages we believe that anything is possible because we haven’t lost that innocent perspective yet. As we get older, the idea of anything being possible fades and turns into reality. The practicality of life sneaks in and pushes dreaming out. This is one of the biggest reasons why dreaming with your kids can be so beneficial.
I did a dream-storming session with my children when they were four and two.
What was first on their dreams lists? To own unicorns (and to own basically every type of animal), and some travel ideas. It was purely fun, but important to do for a few different reasons. First, as my kids continue to get older, I can continue this process with them and we can create dreams together centered around our time as a family. Second, going through their dreams together will build their belief that anything is possible. Not in an ungrounded way, but in a way that’s within touch and rooted in their own faith that they can create their own possibilities.
This process is something we need to show kids.
It doesn’t just help them idealize, but also allows them see what steps must be taken to make their dream a reality. For example, it could be as simple as your kid writing down that they want to go the zoo. You then spend that time with them to go online, find out zoo hours, figure out what day works and put it on the calendar; showing them the steps that go into wanting something and then taking action to achieve it.
Want to dream with your kids? Learn more in my video.
I’m part of an amazing group called Front Row Dads and at our last retreat, my friend Adam spoke about how he was letting his kids plan their vacation. They took ownership of their vacation and therefore increased how invested they were in their family trip. They took it upon themselves to find things to be excited about throughout the vacation and built their anticipation. There are a lot of lessons here, not just within the inception of the dream itself, but also within learning the logistics of trip planning- such as how much things will cost, how to plan time, etc.
Lastly, when it comes to dreaming with your kids (like anything in life) you’ve got to model the behaviors you’d like to see more of.
If you want your kids to treat people with respect, you must show them how to do so. If you want your kids to value punctuality, you must be punctual, etc. In my family, it’s important for us to be pursuing our dreams. So, my wife and I do this out loud so that our kids can see a model for it. We believe this is the best way to create more dreamers that are not only well-versed in the dream-storming process, but know what it looks like to go out and achieve them.
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