Help: Massive bee phobia

Ima2NYM_LTR

Mon, Apr 27 2009, 5:42 pm

my son (almost 5) is terrified of bees. we tell him that they won't hurt him and they are more scared of him then he is of them, but it doesnt help.

An example: He went out to our car to grab a toy and saw a bee or 2 on the way. We found him huddled up next to the car, crying, terrified to come back inside or move at all, for fear the bees would sting him.

Help!

sarahla

Mon, Apr 27 2009, 5:50 pm

I understand him...im scared of bees...mainly because im allergic!!!!!!!!!!!...
I think that telling him they dont hurt is not truthful, they bit and that hurts!!!!
tell him that if he doesn't do anything to them they dont hurt so he has nothing to worry about if he's just passing by
good luck!! Smile

FranticFrummie

Mon, May 25 2009, 3:12 am

How did he get to be afraid of them in the first place? Kids don't have fears unless adults put them in the kids' heads.

I ask my daughter "Are you a flower?" and she says "no" and then I say "Good, because the bees are looking for flowers. They might look at you and then decide that you are NOT a flower, and then they'll fly away." This always makes her giggle.

I also discuss with her how Hashem made everything in the world to have a special job, and that nothing in Hashem's world is "bad". Bees make honey, and pollinate flowers to give us fruits and vegetables. They have stingers to defend themselves from predators. Isn't Hashem amazing to have planned all of that?

Maybe a book or two on bees will help him get slowly desensitized, and maybe he'll even get interested in learning more about them.

mommalah

Mon, May 25 2009, 8:01 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

The above is so true and the reason my dh gets so ticked off when I start freaking out over bugs. It takes so much restraint when there is some foreign insect in the house and the kids are around for me to remain calm.