Young parents observed their eldest son
A Dream Disrupts Safety
Seven-year-old Leo Miller’s sense of security unraveled after a nightmare convinced him that
“an unseen danger hovered over his infant brother, Toby.”
Each night, he left his bed to stand watch by the crib, as if only he could protect him.
Fear Becomes Duty
The fear followed Leo into waking life, “blurring the boundary between dream and reality.”
In his mind, leaving the nursery felt “unthinkable,”
and protecting Toby became “a duty” that left him exhausted and anxious.
Listening and Reframing
When Sarah found Leo “drained and trembling,” she listened instead of correcting him,
honoring “the love beneath” his fear. David explained that dreams “can feel powerful but
cannot cross into the real world,” helping Leo redefine what being a big brother meant.
From Vigil to Bond
Through gentle caregiving tasks and nightly “safety checks,” fear faded.
What remained was devotion, and a bond built
“not on terror, but on love and steady presence.”
