Mumsnet Discussions - What's the best way to handle fear of bees/wasps before it turns into a full-blown phobia? (Behaviour / development)

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Mumsnet Discussions: Behaviour / development : What's the best way to handle fear of bees/wasps before it turns into a full-blown phobia? (4 messages)

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By WigWamBam on Thu 08-May-08 19:07:27

Dd has never been very keen on wasps or bees, but it has never been a huge issue until now.

A couple of weeks ago she fell off her bike and landed on a bee, which stung her. Ever since then she's shrieked and screamed whenever she's seen anything remotely bee-like - to the extent that she has just gone into a complete hysterical meltdown when I asked her to get something from the kitchen because there was a wasp on the ceiling. It has taken me twenty minutes to calm her down, and the thing was never within six feet of her.

I don't want this to turn into a phobia, but I fear that it's already well on the way to becoming one. And I don't have a clue how I can stop it becoming a huge problem. At the moment, even walking to school is difficult because she screams and runs away if we get within twelve feet of one.

By ladytophamhatt on Thu 08-May-08 20:31:55

just bumping this fro you WWB, I had used to be scared of them(wasps/spiders etc) but have conquered it because I didn't want the boys to be scared too, just kind of gritty my teeth and shuu them out or <<ekkk>>>pick the up.....I have no idea how you stop it happening like you describe in your DD though.

I hope someone can help

By milkymill on Thu 08-May-08 21:38:14

My dd (3) was very much the same until just these last couple of months. She would totally freak out at the merest hint of there being a fly or wasp type creature in sight. I was beginning to fear we'd ever be able to enjoy time outdoors.

I don't know what's changed but she has spent all week in the garden with them all buzzing around her, and hasn't batted an eyelid. No practical tips to help I'm afraid; but hopefully it's just a phase for your dd (with the added 'sting' upset I know), as it was with mine.

By WigWamBam on Fri 09-May-08 08:18:21

Thanks both.

I typed up a long reply last night but either MN crashed or my PC did and I lost it. Can't remember half of it either!

I think it's more than just a phase, tbh; she is becoming completely obsessed. She wouldn't come into my bedroom this morning because she could hear a fly buzzing in the window and thought it was a bee.

I have tried looking through information books with her and talking about all the positive things I could think of about bees, but any good that did was undone the other day when dd became hysterical in the classroom because there was a bee in the window ... the teacher shrieked too, because she has a bee phobia.

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