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DD 18mo is developing a fly phobia!!

7 replies

RGPargy · 07/06/2009 21:45

How can i help my poor DD? Recently she has started to develop a phobia/fear of flying insects. I'm not quite sure how it started, it might have been something as simple as a bee getting stuck in the conservatory and my teenage DS having to rescue it.

I think she's worse if she's stuck somewhere and a fly appears, i.e. if she's in her highchair. Tonight, just as she was dropping off to sleep in her cot, the teeniest tiniest fly was in her room and she started to really really cry until i picked her up to comfort her.

I feel really bad that i may also have passed this phobia onto her because i have a phobia of wasps and basically anything that makes a buzzing sound. I am aware of passing on my phobias and therefore try my hardest not to react to anything i am scared of when she is around, but sometimes my reflexes take over and i have to brush it away and normally end up jumping.

How can i help her undevelop this fear?! She loves playing outside so much and i would hate for her to end up like me and not want to sit or play outside just in case there's a wasp!!

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RGPargy · 07/06/2009 21:51

I should add that when one comes near her and she panics, i am very very calm and try and reassure her and dont make a big fuss. It's all i can think of do really so that if she sees i'm not making a fuss, she'll realise there's nothing to worry about.......

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Littlefish · 07/06/2009 22:30

I can't help I'm afraid, but I'll watch this phrase with interest as dd (aged 4.5 years) is terrible with flies, bees, wasps, spiders, bugs etc.

MumGoneCrazy · 07/06/2009 22:48

My 2 DD's (2 and 4) have started to get panicky around flies, bees, wasps, bugs they calls them all spiders and cries until we move them or the offending bug

DD1 (4) had a major paddy the other day because a small fly landing on the edge of the bath near her leg while she was sat on the toilet

I havent got the slighest clue what has suddenly come over them as they never had this before i just shoo the fly away and tell them that something that little wont hurt them and that the fly is prob more scared of them

nannyL · 07/06/2009 22:52

what about singing shoo fly dont bother me?

my 3 year old does not have a fly phobia (in fact he is not scared of anything at all (has already held a snake and a tarantula ) but as soon as we see a fly we sing that song to it!

RGPargy · 07/06/2009 23:07

Oh that's a good idea, NannyL! What are all the words of the song? All i know is "Shoo Fly, dont bother me!" a few times lol.

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nannyL · 08/06/2009 09:09

Shoo fly, don't bother me.
Shoo fly, don't bother me.
Shoo fly, don't bother me.
For I belong to somebody.

its says the next verse is i feel like a morning star but we dont sing that. just repeat the shoo fly bit!

RGPargy · 08/06/2009 20:41

Thanx for that!

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