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AIBU?

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Original poster

Toddler stamped on spider

176 replies

Pugaboo · 06/09/2014 23:06

I'm probably being ridiculous but...

The other day we were leaving the house and there was a spider outside our door. DS (20 mo) saw it and immediately stamped on it and killed it. I was surprised and a little bit upset tbh - I'm not a big fan on spiders but don't believe in killing any creatures unnecessarily and although I know he's probably too young to get it I told him that we don't stamp on insects on purpose.

AIBU to think this is learned behaviour, and not just something he randomly did? He never stamps on anything usually (except puddles).

OP posts:
ThatBloodyWoman · 07/09/2014 10:30

I didn't say cats were humane either -they're clearly not!

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 10:55

the UK imports great quantities of food crates from other countries where spiders are poisonous and sometimes they make it to our homes via the supermarket,

I can see it now - some orrible black widow (which look similar to our spiders) hitches a ride in on a bunch of bananas.

''Look Mummy It's Charlotte the Spider, hiding in the bananas""

''Now remember what we said Finley! This is one of God's Creatures! Lets get a glass and gently put it over him and set him free with nature.
But do it gently! We musn't hurt it!
otherwise you might grow up to be a serial killer

I can see somebody getting bitten one day. I've seen people have horrible spider bites this summer alone - just from British spiders. One person I know, his leg has ulcerated from it.

HexBramble · 07/09/2014 11:30

Inkyirky, education is the key surely?
I'm not sure I've

HexBramble · 07/09/2014 11:32

... read anyone advocating hugging spiders, more giving them a chance just to exist. Taking a closer interest into what's what in your garden will be a learning exercise, rather than just squishing/hoovering or swatting anything you don't like in your path.

It makes our foreign visitors easier to spot for one thing.

ThatBloodyWoman · 07/09/2014 11:36

I agree.
We're pretty much dealing with your average house /garden spider here with a bite on par with many other insects.

Anything unusual should warrant further investigation, after being carefully contained.

TattyDevine · 07/09/2014 11:51

Where do the mother-nature's-small-creatures set stand with HEADLICE? Do you comb them out and gently set them free into some other poor feckers head, or do you use Headrin and get on with our life? Just curious.

I know you can remove a spider without killing it and all that...

AWombWithoutAFoof · 07/09/2014 12:08

For me it depends on whether it's actually harming me. Spiders aren't doing me any harm, why would I kill them?

I'd treat headlice, and if I had proof I had mice/rats I'd do something about that, as there is such potential for infestation, which causes property damage etc.

As far as I can tell, a spider in the UK isn't hurting anyone.

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 12:59

Luckily Donna - who suffers from arachnophobia - managed to leap out of bed before the evil spider had a chance to bite her.

This is interesting! Her natural aversion to spiders (which caused her to leap out of the way), saved her from a nasty bite.

whois · 07/09/2014 13:02

Can't believe the spider hatred. Take them outside if you don't want them in your house, but there is no need to stamp and kill them or Hoover them up.

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 13:07

We used to have a neighbour that would encourage and leave food out for rats! Yes you read that right.
Because in her eyes they were God's Creatures and not vermin.

She was very scruffy and wouldn't even trim her shrubs because that was classed as murdering the plants.
She was as crazy as a box of frogs.

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 13:09

I wouldn't be surprised if she had a little colony of Hair Pets as well.

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 13:09

Rather a horses head than a spider :)

HexBramble · 07/09/2014 17:39

Wow inky, you're in danger of falling off your end of the scale.

Love MN Grin

Topseyt · 07/09/2014 18:23

If people want to clobber spiders that is fine with me so I would not be bothered at all by him stamping on one. I can't stand them, and they just have no right at all to invade my living space (I can co-exist with them outside, where they belong).

My Dad used to catch them in a wad of tissues or toilet paper, screw it up and flush them down the loo. I have been known to whack them with a shoe, stamp on them, vacuum them up. Whatever I have to do to get rid of them I will do, basically. I was the same as a child. I assure everyone that I did not turn into a psychopath or a mass murderer. I will never be able to like spiders or deal with them easily. They make me shudder and give me goosebumps. To me they are evil and there should be a better way of controlling the fly and bug population.

I am sure I will probably be called all names under the sun now (dons rhino hide and hard hat), but I am no defender of spiders.

Alisvolatpropiis · 07/09/2014 18:24

You bastard spider killer Topsey. They're mother natures babies too you know Grin

inkyirky · 07/09/2014 18:30

I am an old softy really,

There was a little frog down the bottom of our garden today - I could hear him. I made sure my husband didn't mow the lawn where the frog was.

But Spiders? No, I have NO empathy. (sorry to the tree-hugging spider lovers on here)

germphobia · 07/09/2014 18:39

I like to hope that there's little correlation between killing bugs as a small child and growing up to be an axe weilding maniac. Almost scared to admit it but when I was little I used to catch flies and make them into walks and spins (the method is probably obvious... although how I actually managed it without squashing them I've no idea!). I'm 31 now and couldn't imagine what possessed me to do it apart from pure curiosity about what happened and no realisation that I was dismembering a living thing. I was always gentle with our pets and I promise I've grown up into a decent human being - spiders are safe in my flat and flies now get shepherded out of the window!

HexBramble · 07/09/2014 19:03

Nowt to do with tree hugging inky.
Or spiders in particular really.
Just think it's careless to extinguish another creature for the sheer hell of it.

MrsDeVere · 07/09/2014 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alisvolatpropiis · 07/09/2014 20:13

I don't kill spiders. I tend to freeze and watch them as I slowly edge out of the room. As the average person might if they found themselves eye to eye with a tiger.

I'll look into getting some kind of therapy for it, I think. I'd rather not pass it on to my (currently hypothetical) children.

Alisvolatpropiis · 07/09/2014 20:13

Other insects don't bother me really, unless there's bloody loads of them. .

fcukip · 07/09/2014 20:28

Agreehex! Why would anyone do this to a spider? I think it shows how thoughtlessly cruel you are

fcukip · 07/09/2014 20:30

Perhaps you don't see it as cruel, spider killers?!

I must say I say all of this and I should give up meat.

But stomping on something because you don't like it isn't nice.

ThisFenceIsComfy · 07/09/2014 20:30

Head lice bite. Rats and mice quickly overrun and spread disease. Mosquitos bite. They all go in my "sorry but you are impacting my life/health so I'm going to kill you" category.

Spiders don't do much and I don't really like flies so I keep them. Slugs are the most disgusting bloody things on the face of the planet. I still get DP to and will train toddler put them outside if in my house. If out in the street or garden, I scream a little and avoid. I don't kill. Why would I kill them?

I'm teaching my toddler the same. He likes to give a worm a good old stamp but he's slowly coming round to my way of thinking.

The OP wasn't over reacting, just checking that it was normal toddler behaviour.