[Therese's Mommy]

Hi, I am a little frustrated right now. I live in the Northeast and we are finally enjoying some nice weather. After many months stuck inside I am anxious to get outside. My dd wants to go out, but as soon as she sees an ant or any other inocuous bug she freaks out. She starts crying and demands we go in even if the bug disappears. I try explaining to her that they are not going to hurt her, but it doesn't help. I tell her that she can step in them if they bug her but she won't. Even if I get up and step on them she still demands we go inside. I am losing my mind. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">: Any suggestions? Thanks!<br><br>
Beth

 

[PrennaMama]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> I thought we were the only ones... for us it's "bees" (anything that flies is a bee... and I dunno where she got the fear of them...) and worms. You know those seed-pods, I think they might be maple (??) that cover the ground and look like worms... she won't walk on them... at ALL. I finally got her to come out, but only if I agree to carry her to where they <i>aren't.</i> I know a little about where <i>that</i> came from. We have a bearded dragon and he eats meal worms. She loved feeding him his worms, dropping them into the tank and watching him eat 'em up... Til the other day. When she saw one wiggle. And gasped. I said "Oh look, he's wiggly" and she screamed... she is NOT down with the wiggling.<br><br>
So my theory is this: They JUST realized these things exist, that they live and move and do stuff... they're a little alien... they move and cannot be easily controlled. They are previously unknown, <i>moving</i>, little things that are unpredictable. You know how some folks who don't have kids think toddlers are gross? Same deal...<br><br>
Maybe try to be understanding... use verbage like, "I know, those bugs are kinda new & different to you. Do they make you feel wierd? Mommy will help you get past them..." Agree to help her past the ants and such (maybe she doesn't want to thurt them or kill them, just doesn't wanna have to deal with them at all) in the name of getting where you're going.<br><br>
What if you get some books about how they live... get the movie A Bug's Life and tell her the ants she sees are just like that; they live and work and have a happy life? This could be a teaching opportunity.

 

[rzberrymom]

Instead of killing them and then reassuring her, we took the opposite approach. When DD sees a bug and panics, I sit down and let the ant crawl over my hand and arm. I say things like "hey, that one has something in her mouth--she must be bringing it back home for lunch." I pick up the worms and let them wiggle around in my hand, and then bring them to the plants in our garden and talk about how helpful they are to our garden. If it's a bee, we go get some honey, taste a little bit and then talk about how thankful we are for bees since there would be no honey without the bees. I just try to normalize it and show her I'm not afraid to have the bugs touch me. The more I sit with them and touch them, the less afraid she becomes.

 

[Therese's Mommy]

Thanks for the suggestions...I will give them a try today.<br><br>
Beth

 

[treqi]

WOW thats my husband who's 22 any bug freaks him out..... I'm pretty blunt with him so that doesn't help but I can sympathize....