Having a Really Hard Time Finding the Meaning of These Dreams from Last Night...

ETA: Why is this possibility too "easy"? What are you looking for exactly? To be honest, when I first read your question title I thought "nothing. Dreams don't MEAN anything." All they are is a glimpse into how your brain is processing the emotions and situations you deal with every day. When it's shaped like a horse, has a nose like a horse and mane like a horse, don't think "zebra." Why all this angst over dreams anyway? Why is a simple answer not possibly the right one?

When I was going through therapy, I had a lot of dreams that involved water - one really vivid one. When I checked it out, it said that it's common for people going through therapy to have dreams about water - it's somehow connected to exposing emotions that we had been suppressing.

I also used to have dreams about abandonment when I was younger - usually my mom, but sometimes my dad couldn't "save" me from whatever. My parents are still married - I'm not sure where that fear came from, but it was definitely there.

I think the dreams are really just about processing the emotions that the separation has caused. Not that they "mean" anything or portend anything, but they're simply a reflection of how your subconsious is processing everything y'all are going through right now.

ooh R.:

these are interesting dreams!!!

To be boats and ships symbolize change - location or something - which we know change is happening in your house. So the girls are feeling the change in their lives. And that's OKAY!! Change can be a good thing!! :)

The skeleton is usually dead weight that your mind can't drop. You carry it with you. That's the symbol of the wedding bad - "forever" as the ring has no beginning and no end.

My dreams from last night have left me feeling VERY heavy so I think I need to go back to bed to get my head out of the fog.

Boats/Ships mean change to me in dreams. Leaving, coming - since the boats were taking OFF - leaving...and since Rob was in that boat leaving...they are adjusting to his leaving.

As to the water bubbling...she might be having some anger towards him for leaving. She's allowed that. So she's releasing her anger???

Well all I know is that when you are in a boat or on an island .... surrounded by water, you are STUCK. You can't easily get out of the water and just go back to normal everyday stuff. You can't just easily walk onto dry land and go grab some lunch. When you're out in the water you have to keep working to survive and to get back to where you came from. And you're not on the water for forever. It just takes work to get back to normal.

Maybe that is why y'all dreamed of water?? Very weird that all 3 of you last night dreamt of water. Sure Dad being in the dream is simple explanation. But kinda creepy!

Excuse my interpretation because I know nothing about your lives or what's going on other than the fact that there has been a recent separation. Just taking a shot because I too like to look at dreams for meaning. I don't believe dreams are signs or messages, but expressions of our deeper thoughts and emotions coming to the surface.

Your 6 y/o dream: Perhaps she was harkening back to a time BEFORE things felt different, which is why your son wasn't born yet in her dream. Daddy now feels like an offshoot of the family (the smaller boat that separated from the big boat) rather than a part of the family. Daddy is going to an uncharted place, while the rest of you remail adrift... although adrift together on a sturdy ship (stability of mom?) Also, maybe your son wasn't there vbecause he is too young to be a key player yet, and your daughter lumps "the womenfolk" of the family together.

Your 8 year olds dream: The fire= Everything she knows is changing/has changed. She may subconsciously wonder if it was somehow her fault (everything SHE looked at caught fire) but then she is also struggling with the fact that maybe daddy did something to cause the separation (and she may or may not know what, again, I have no details of your separation), because she watched him stick his finger in the water and cause the whole lake to ignite, which then separated her further from him.

They are both feeling a little abandoned and alone on some level. Your younger daughter seems worried about what will happen to dad, your older daughter seems confused about where dad stands (is he the cause-the igniter, or the victim... of a raging fire that separates him?)

Your dream: The skeleton with the wedding band, your marriage that you worked hard to 'save" but felt like you were doing it on your own (YOU jumped in the water by yourself, YOU had to carry the weight of the skeleton alone) or maybe you initiated the separation (You were the one who had to rip the skeleton from the "stuck" place, and it was a big risk to do that...risk= diving in the river alone).
Another idea about this dream is that you are coming to a realization that even though your marriage is ending, it will be a "skeleton" you carry with you forever. A realization that things are not so simple as just "ending the relationship"- the relationship will continue in a new form, a more burdensome form, than it did before.

Any of this ringing true?

Has Dad / hubs been gone alot lately or busy with work etc? For me, they all seem like a form of "separation".

I'm so sorry!!! I guess I didn't read that part........:(

OK let me try again.
6yr old dream - Husband is just your little boys bio dad??? Seems like maybe that is why he is left out of this dream. She feels like it is her sister and you together thru this. And might be afraid she won't see Dad anymore.
8 yr old - kids often blame themselves for crazy reasons that aren't real......maybe this is why what she looks at catches on fire. She also blames Dad, thus why he caught the lake on fire with just one touch of one finger.
Yours - You're feeling alone (in the realtionship and/or in the world). I think that fact of having to take the arm (which is husbands) with you, shows that maybe your thinking that if this realtionship will be "saved" its up to you............
Water often symbolizes emotional times for people - emotions flow like water.

You have a lot going on and this is interesting. This is from Dreammoods.com:

Saltwater
To see or taste saltwater in your dream symbolizes tears and heartache. It may also indicate some emotional outburst or suffering.

Underwater
To dream that you are underwater suggests that you are being overcome with emotions and are in over your head regarding some situation.�You need to gain greater control of your life.

Water
To see water in your dream symbolizes your unconscious and your emotional state of mind. Water is the living essence of the psyche and the flow of life energy. It is also symbolic of spirituality, knowledge, healing and refreshment. To dream that water is boiling suggests that you are expressing some emotional turmoil. Feelings from your unconscious are surfacing and ready to be acknowledged.�You need to let out some steam.�To see calm, clear water in your dream means that you are in tune with your spirituality. It denotes serenity, peace of mind, and rejuvenation.

Island
To see or dream that you are on an island signifies ease, relaxation and comfort.�The dream is telling you that you need a vacation and escape the stresses in your life. It is time for some solitude.�

To dream that you are stranded on an island suggests that you need to get away from the demands of your daily life. Or perhaps you are running away from a situation instead of trying to confront it. Alternatively, the dream means that you feel cut off from society. You are in a rut and do not know what to do with your life

I am horrible at disecting dreams, but wow! That's insane.

I think Cheryl hit the nail on the head with the boat coming and going. Change.

The water linking to emotions make sense.

I think the ring symbolozing no end (round) and that it's with the skeleton means that it died. But maybe you having to take it with you was showing how hard you fought.

Ugh. I hope you figure it all out.

R..

go to this page http://www.dreamdictionary.org/common/water-dreams/

I use this website for my dreams all the time. Plus there are some other questions about the water you will either ask the girls or ask yourself.

Oh, I actually think it is EXACTLY as simple as your minds working around their dad/your husband being moved out/separated.
He moved out as of last weekend and it's only Wednesday.
I think you can be expecting dreams along these similar lines for at least a few months and probably a bit longer.
Your 6 yr olds dream: abandonment - he left and the rest of the family has to sail on with out him.
Your 8 yr olds dream: also abandonment - he's not there to rescue us, we're on our own.
Your dream: You're doing it by yourself. (You are on your own). The marriage (ship/skeleton) is dead, you want the ring (open to a possibility of future marriage), but his residue still sticks to it (have to take the arm to get the ring) - you've got history/baggage/ related to marriage and it's going to be awhile before you heal up from the experience (separate the ring from the dead/unfulfilled promise).

Water? You live on a river, you part own a yacht club, and life flows on regardless of him sailing away/not being there anymore/going down with the ship.

You will all be fine but you have to give yourself some time to achieve a new sense of normal.
This isn't going to happen over night, but the dreams work it through bit by bit and in a years time I think you are going to be in a good place emotionally.

You have gotten some good answers. And I agree with most of them.
You are trying too hard to "find"something. Dreams are the minds way of working things out. And usually the most simple answer is the right one. You and your girls are very intuitive. But that does not mean that your dreams are always leading you somewhere. It means you are able to sense and feel things others may not.
I think the message in all the dreams is that you girls are tied together in this and they do not see a future with their dad. I think Shannon hit it on the head exactly!
Blessings!
D.

the symbolism in dreams is so individual that it's very very difficult for anyone else to interpret them. that being said, there are some generalities that usually apply, and one of them is water representing change, the subconscious, emotion, and movement from one state to another.
the water in all these dreams makes perfect sense from that perspective.
i wouldn't dig too much to try to find 'deeper' meanings in these. the processing part of the brain coughs up some weird wacky stuff and you can make yourself nuts trying to see past the obvious.
and the obvious here is really pretty obvious. anxiety, sadness, loneliness, worry, abandonment, danger.
and that's all quite natural, dear one. it's great that you and the kids are working through these feelings, and i love that the girls are sharing their fears and dreams with you. it gives you the opportunity to share your own feelings with them, and your over-riding confidence that as their mom you WILL keep them safe, and at the same time you understand and allow them to express their sadness.
i'm so sorry.
khairete
S.

Well, maybe the fact that your husband operates a boat club accounts for the fact that your kids associate their stepfather (now gone) with water?
And boats...

And you do too. Hence the water and boats in all dreams.

Your kids are coming to terms with the fact that your husband has moved out and you guys are separated. The 8 year old might even be feeling guilty--mistakenly thinking that she caused the split. At 8, she needs to and can understand the REAL reason you are separated.

Your dream? It might symbolize your struggle to "save" or "change" your husband....what a losing battle that can be, and what a weight to carry. Better to grasp that now--that you CAN'T "save" anyone else--they have to save themselves, now, than down the road. Alanon can really help you with that.

Who knows? Everyone's dream interpretations are different. Maybe if you sit quietly, the meanings will come to you, for you, about YOUR dreams.

Get your kids talking!

Of course, there's always the possibility that you made a spicy dinner last night! LOL

Hi, R.:

As you know, divorce is the second stessful event in people's life, including children. The first stressful even is death.

Your children are affected not only by the separation itself, but also by your reactions to the separation.
You will notice they may have concentration difficulties
Behavioral changes: the quiet become frantic;
the energetic become lethargic;
Physical ailments--headaches, stomachaches, dizziness;
lowered impulse control;
increased dependence;
decreased trust in adults
fantasies about happy ending to situation;
use of play, art, music, or dance
to express emotions instead of words.

Help them by giving them extra attention and care; there will be an increased need for physical closeness.
Children need factual information as well as
the opportunity to talk about their feelings. They need
to hear that what they are feeling is normal and expected, although
it may be uncomfortable. Be prepared to talk about it many
times.

Accept children's expressions of anger and frustration. Help them to recognize and name the emotions they are experiencing. Model
healthy ways to express them.
Look to the future. Planning for upcoming events is
a step toward recovery.
Know and utilize your resources. Help is available to those who ask.
Good luck.
All the Best.
D.

To me the big ship and little ship represents how you anchor your life. A big ship might represent as being a steady,safe, and secure feeling, while as a small boat, while still effective in keeping afloat in the water as a big ship, it isn't as secure, steady or as safe as being in a bigger boat would be.

The fact that your 6 year old dreamt about the fact that your son wasn't born yet, might reflect her memory as when things were going well. That maybe when your son as born that is when she believes things got worse. Also the fact that daddy took a smaller boat, might be her feelings on the fact that her daddy didn't want to take her with him. She might feel neglected. Not from you, but from her dad.

Your 8 year olds dream symbolizes pain and anger. Does she feel that he is mad at her or that he doesn't want to see her anymore? That would be my guess anyways. Bubbling of water means to me something along the lines of feeling anger, frustration, overwhelmth. She probably feels some separation from him, as well as anger .It might also show the fact that she knew that her father was going through some inner stuff, and that she couldn't help him with it.

I think your dream means that you are still in some way holding on towards that relationship. That although the boat is sinking, you tried very hard to save it. I think in some ways it shows you feeling quilty, and that you tried to keep things "afloat" so to speak. That you were going through struggles and difficulties for awhile, and finally decided that you needed to do things on your own.

I think it shows, very uniquely, how the three of you are feeling, however, I think your daughters understand your decisions and actions throughout all of this, and they feel safe with you. This is very important. I am sure their is a lot more, but this is what I came up with so far.

Do you communicate with your husband? I might warn him about boats and water today.

The other thought that occurred to me was past lives. I wonder if you all are working through a past life thing.