DD is absolutely TERRIFIED of winged insects - any advice?

[KatsMother28]

A few months ago we were getting my dd dressed in the mornin only to find about 8-10 10p piece size bites/swellings. We sorted these out & stripped her room down (never found anything) but it seemed to solve the problems. Unfortunately ever since she has a meltdown if there is even the smallest fly anywhere near her/ in the room/ on the glass outside. It's getting steadily worse to the point she was sobbing unconsolably this morning as she'd seen a tiny fly across the other side of the kitchen.

She's only 2 and trying to explain they won't hurt her is having no effect - has anyone any advice on this as in all other ways she's a rough tough brave tomboy and I'd like to help her get over her fear if possible before it gets set for life. Thanks.

[PoonAnnie]

I don't know sadly, but I am watching as DD (6) has a meltdown around any and all bugs. It's exhausting.

[HeavenK76]

my 5yo ds is also absolutely terrified by any small insects/bugs.
ants, flies, slugs, just any, only thing I can think of doing is keep on telling him that they're harmless. But he actually just freaks out

[MissDuke]

I am watching this too, as I came to post the same!!! My two year old all of a sudden is petrified, and we don't know why. When she sees a fly, she tenses up, stays still and screams - a real blood curdling scream that makes you run to her in terror!!! When I ask what is wrong, she yells 'bee bee' - so someone has somehow scared her of bees, and of course now she thinks all flies are bees. It is awful. I keep smiling and pointing and saying 'awww, look at the wee cute fly, lovely fly' etc - like a right weirdo ha ha - but it isn't helping.

[DontPutMeDownForCardio]

My dss was a bit like this. I've been trying to explain to him what bees do and got him to watch them from a distance and made a big deal about how helpful they are. He's got a lot better. He is six though.

[BobTheFly]

As per the nickname- we call ours Bob. If we see something, anything, 'oh that's just bob, he's looking for Beryl'. For some reason giving them a name made them really interesting to the kids and they aren't scared anymore. You also have to watch your own reactions, don't swat them away or move because it gives the impression that it's some thing to be afraid of.

[LittlePink]

My 2 yr old is exactly the same! If she sees anything in the garden that flies she screams "buzzy bee, buzzy bee" and totally flips out, so much so being out in the garden is just stressful and not worth the hassle. I spend the whole time telling her they're nothing to be afraid of and theyre not interested in her, they are just having some fun flying around in the garden and getting some sun, just like we are. I don't know where this natural fear has come from as we have always been careful not to react in negative ways. I don't know what else to do about her fear apart from just keeping on telling her its ok but it makes the garden a difficult place to be!

[Lovelydiscusfish]

My 2 year old had a spell of being really scared of bees - we spent a lot of time explaining how they are "kind", and "make flowers grow", which has helped a lot (she really likes flowers). We also looked at some books and puzzles featuring bees - and it helped that, quite randomly, she saw a dragonfly which absolutely fascinated her. She is still not hugely keen on flying things, but it is better - in fact she will now watch the bumble bees in our garden with a certain degree of interest, and claims to "want to cuddle them".

[JennyWren]

Would getting a butterfly kit help? You can order a pop-up tent thing with a pot of caterpillars, and feed them leaves until they turn into chrysalis and then into butterflies. They can be watched 'safely' - they can't get out of their tent - and then you release them into the wild eventually. You could give each a name, and then look for them and their friends in the wild...