sashime76

My 4 yr old son is terrified of bugs, even little household ants. My two year old on the other hand, has no fears. Has anyone helped their kids conquering the fear of little critters?

I don't get spooked easily by the bugs personally, so it's a bit hard for me to understand why he has such great fears? Unless poisonuous, I either smack with my hands (just wash off thoroghly with soap) or use my shoes.

Last time out at the playground, my son came to a screeching (screamed, too) stop on the slide, he saw a tiny bug half way down.

Any good ideas? Thanks!

hrdwareguy

Not that he was extreamly scared of bugs, but didn't really want anything to do with them, what I did with my son is I would hold the bug in question while he looked at it. Thus showing him that said bug would not hurt him. In time he got to where he would sometimes want to hold it as well. Just a few weeks ago we found a lady bug, not only did he want to hold it, he was giving it kisses.

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raeanna74

My daughter was scared for a time of ants (about the age of 3 and turning 4) and many other bugs. Ignorance is the beginning of fear. I caught ants and bugs in one of those bug boxes that the kids can look at. Explained that the bugs couldn't get out. I also caught harmless bugs and let them crawl over my hands. Ladybugs, Daddylonglegs, Ants, caterpillars and other things that didn't bite or hurt. When she saw that I didn't have fear of them she began to be curious. Kids will mirror your feelings about things so if you're afraid they'll probably be afraid. My daughter is VERY curious about bugs now and I've had quite a few jars of bugs brought into my home. Not to mention a cup full of ants one time released on my kitchen counter.

Just take every opportunity to show him that some bugs are harmless. Just make sure that you teach him to respect bees. My daughter tried to catch a dying bee once without knowing the stinger was there. I got her a magnifying lens and showed her the stinger. We talked about how they might get scared if you try to catch them and that's how they protect themselves.

Get books about bugs and talk about how they help you with things. Spiders eat mosquitos. Ladybugs protect your plants. Flies clean up garbage. Things like that that show the value of bugs. The more he learns the less he'll be afraid.

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sashime76

I'd pick up a bug, lady bug, ant, etc. and show it to him but he would not come near me. From the loud, panicking scream, I could tell he was scared. About the only insect he isn't afraid of is a butterfly. I think I'll pick up a bug jar and catch some critters to see if that will ease the fear.

Thanks!

raeanna74

Perhaps see if the library has some insect educational videos. He can see them up close and should know they can't get to him but might learn a little something about them.

Also some books about bugs might be a good place to start. I forgot that I started reading her some children's bug books I had when she was afraid.

I think it may just be a stage too. Just try to stay as calm as you can around bugs and hopefully his fear will begin to fade.

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skier

Wow this sounds like great advice! I don't have any experience parenting, but i've learned that education and gradual exposure are the best ways to treat phobias (i'm not saying your kid has Acarophobia, just that this is the stuff i've learned in class.)

So get him a bug stuffed animal. Watch "A bug's Life" or similar with him. Read a book about insects and stuff.

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JStrider

I was gonna say buy him a goliath bird eater tarantula as a pet... and feed it mice...

but the others have better ideas...

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raeanna74

One more thing I remember doing with my daughter. She came into the house screaming that there were bugs all over the sidewalk. She was afraid they'd bite her. I explained that those bugs were ants and that they liked to eat sugar. I got some sugar and poured a couple little mounds on the sidewalk in the path of some ants. I told her we'd go back and check on them later and she'd find lots of ants there. Sure enough - later there were quite a crowd circling the mounds of sugar and carrying away the grains. I got us a big magnifying lens and we watched the ants for a while. Pretty soon she was laying on the sidewalk with her face and magnifying lens inches from the sugar piles. Not long after she had a couple neighbor kids who had joined her in bug watching. After that, on a regular basis I would find her dashing out the door with a spoonful of sugar.

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My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

sashime76

Found a set of (4) Insectica DVDs from the local library. We'll see if he can set through at least one of them.

Undercover_Man

Just make sure he doesn't get TOO kind toward spiders. I love all kinds of animals. They all love me too (had some turtles and they'd all just stretch out on my chest when I laid down to watch TV). I'll pick them up and stuff and try to rescue them if they are in danger of getting stepped on too. I AM, however, a bit nervous toward spiders. Spiders can be venomous and I'm not smart enuff to tell which ones might be dangerous so I don't pick them up. I always get something for them to walk on like a cup or paper and quickly transport them to the nearest tree, buch, flowerbed, etc.

Anyways, just make sure he knows about the dangers of spiders. Spiders are good to have around tho too. They catch other insects like mosquittoes. I hate those things. Just don't teach him to step on them and other insects as insects play a vital part of the circle of life and the ecosystem. I hate it when ppl kill insects that pose no harm or could be caught and placed in a safer environment. I always think of God's finger coming down on the person just like the person did to the poor insect.

So teach him that most insects won't harm him and also teach him to stay away from spiders since, even tho some are harmless, others ARE harmful. And don't teach him to kill the insects.

- Undercover_Man

Meditrina

My daughter was afraid of all bugs until she had this teacher in preschool. She taught my daughter all about different kinds of bugs. I think they are afraid of things they do not understand. Once they learn about them, the fear is less.

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