Being chased or attacked in a dream is quite scary for any individual, especially a child. And these nightmares are actually quite common. After all, how many times have you woken up from one of them feeling anxious and helpless, yet relieved once you've discovered the experience wasn't real. These dreams are our way of sorting out a conflict we're dealing with in everyday life, and this type of internal struggle is similar for children. They may be reacting to a perceived or real threat (eg. a school bully or a mean sibling) or an obstacle to getting something they want.

Eating is associated with pleasure, satisfaction, and nourishment. While eating a specific food in a dream could relate to desire to consume that fare, on a deeper level, it could symbolize an emotional hunger. Certain foods can even represent sensual yearnings for tweens experiencing puberty and adolescents. Not surprisingly, kids often dream of eating sweets. However, if a child dreams of spitting out a food, not only does that reflect a dislike, but on a more significant level, the action could indicate that the child doesn't want to take in something that could affect him.

When dogs act viciously in dreams, they may take the form of a wolf or behave similarly. Because of the extreme injury a wolf can inflict, it can represent death, particularly in certain cultures. Children can also dream that their sisters or brothers turn into wolves when they're emotionally wounding them by treating them unkindly. On the flip side, pet dogs are loyal and protective, and similarly, children feel closely connected to them. So much so that they typically dream of them as getting hurt or going missing. In addition, animals have heightened physical abilities, so a child who dreams of a specific animal may wish to have certain abilities. For example dogs have acute hearing, so for example, if a child's dream focuses on that, perhaps that's an ability the kid desires.

You might be surprised to learn that children, especially boys, dream a lot about cars even though they certainly can't drive themselves. Generally, if a car isn't functioning properly in a dream, the child may feel as if his life isn't moving in the right direction and that he's having trouble influencing the course of events. In essence, something is broken in his life or he's losing control. Because of their ability to take us from one point to another, cars in dreams can also symbolize a transition in life. In addition, vehicle issues in dreams can mirror physical problems, such as injuries. On the upside, cars can be positive symbols--embodying desirable attributes, such as strength--if a child is dreaming about a car that he likes or one he associates with a pleasant experience.