Until my son Theo was about 12, it was fairly common for him to startle or sit up in the midst of dreams. He would say something and then go right back to sleep. I usually work late at night just a couple of rooms away. So I would often sneak into his room and try to awaken him just enough to ask what he was dreaming.

One night (about 8-years-old) he cried out :

"Mom! Mom!" 

I was right there. So I stepped in, gave him a little nudge and said:

Theo (more or less asleep):

"I don't know."

I tried a little prompting:

Theo (eyes closed):

"You"

I said:

"No, no. You called "Mom! Mom!"
"Why did you call your mom
instead of me?"

Theo (as he fell back asleep for the night):

"She's just lucky, I guess."