The one where I try to induce nightmares...

So I read this article the other day on "Urban Myths that are really true". And one of them was that candy causes nightmares. I'd never heard that before and couldn't think of any time I'd seen a definite correlation. So I did what we always do in my house in that kind of situation. I decided to conduct an experiment. I announced close to bedtime that everyone had to eat some candy because I wanted them to have nightmares. Sean and I had Jelly Beans, but I only had yellow and orange, because those are the only ones I'll eat. Luckily, Sean loves me enough (or I pester him enough) that he picks out those ones and hands them to me. Luke and Lu had gummy worms. When I felt we were sufficiently sugared up, I wished everyone scary nightmares.

Lu: You really just wished us nightmares?

Me: Duh. The experiment will be a failure if you don't have any.

Luke: You just mean like weird dreams, right?

Me: Um. No. I want full on, wake up screaming nightmares. I haven't had one of those in forever!

Luke: You're like seriously excited about this. Why?

Me: I love to be scared. Nightmares are the best! They make great story ideas.

Lu: I'm totally facebooking this. *and she did. Her status-My mother just made me eat candy before bed because she wants to see if I have nightmares. Can we say best mom ever award?!?! Lmao.*

Sean: I hope you feel good about the cavities I'm going to get because you made us eat candy so late at night.

Me: I didn't say you couldn't brush your teeth, Sean. You're not blaming that on me.

Sean: This is so going in my notebook for my future therapist.

Fast forward to morning. No one had a nightmare. I was super bummed. We did all confess to very strange dreams. I knew I'd had one, but had forgotten it by the time I actually got up. Sean's was almost a nightmare. He and Lu were having a party and she drank all the whiskey and half the wine, even though she hates wine. But overall we decided it wasn't scary enough to be a nightmare.

The next night, we tried ice cream. With chocolate and caramel sauce. Still, no one woke up screaming. Again, a few weird and almost lucid dreams. I have to commend my children on allowing me to mess with their digestion and sleep patterns in my quest for a scientific way to induce nightmares. I have had a few suggestions from helpful people, but most of them involve alcohol or illegal drugs. Not happening. Alcohol has never made me have nightmares. I'm open to other suggestions though. Anyone got some??

In the name of science,
♥Spot