If there is one thing that has held constant for Red since he first really became aware of his surroundings (and perhaps even before then, although it wouldn't do a whole lot of good to ask him), it has been his inexplicable fascination, bordering on obsession, with bugs. Well, technically not just bugs (order Hemiptera), but invertebrates of all kinds. Worms, butterflies, millipedes, you name it.
With d.w. writing a children's guide to stream ecology for her master's degree and my getting a PhD in ecology, I suppose it was somewhat inevitable that some of that would rub off on our little one. But it's not like we have pushed it on him or anything; what's weird is that neither d.w. nor I are especially into bugs to begin with.
We have tried to stay sort of hands-off as he develops his own interests, and haven't tried to push anything on him (well, as much as two parents can do that). All we've done is make lots of different types of things available to him, and encouraging those things he shows the most interest in.
The one thing we do feel passionately about, however, is making sure Red isn't irrationally afraid of any animals, especially creepy crawly ones. This has not necessarily been easy for me. After it rains, Red likes to go outside and play with earthworms, which I must admit still give me the willies when they wriggle around in my hand. Red, on the other hand, is completely fine with them because he has never known any other way to be. They aren't gross because no one has made them that way for him.
I must say, my work has really helped me get over my aversion to having little things crawling around on my body. Between the ticks, the mosquitoes, and the flies, I barely notice that anymore. Red, on the other hand, has never had an issues with things crawling around on him. His first reaction, in fact, to seeing a new insect is to put it on his arm and watch it crawl around.
Red has taught me so much since he was born. Because of him I'm pretty sure what makes us human, I think I've figured out the meaning of life, and I no longer jump into the air and scream like a girl when I feel something crawling across my skin. I'm such a proud papa.
I must say, my work has really helped me get over my aversion to having little things crawling around on my body. Between the ticks, the mosquitoes, and the flies, I barely notice that anymore. Red, on the other hand, has never had an issues with things crawling around on him. His first reaction, in fact, to seeing a new insect is to put it on his arm and watch it crawl around.
Red has taught me so much since he was born. Because of him I'm pretty sure what makes us human, I think I've figured out the meaning of life, and I no longer jump into the air and scream like a girl when I feel something crawling across my skin. I'm such a proud papa.
So, Red must have been a scientist in an earlier life, and when he was recycled, excuse me, reborn, the Powers That Be didn't completely delete all earlier knowledge and personality. Does that sound like a sufficiently scientific explanation?
Posted by: mama | 11 December 2008 at 05:12 PM
there is a chance he'll do a 180 on this within a few years, too... Our W, now 4, loved playing with bugs as a tot, then one day decided he hated them. they scared him, he didn't want them near him, even flies. he's back to being ok with them now, but it was interesting how his opinion of them changed.
Posted by: sarah | 11 December 2008 at 10:22 PM
I have no children, but have substitute-taught them, in the past. And the thing I remember most about that job was how much the children taught me!
Posted by: Scott | 04 January 2009 at 05:48 AM
My 6 yo son still always lets bugs crawl all over him. I worked hard to instill the mantra: "(insert crawly thing here) are helpful because they control the population of other bugs/make honey/pollinate flowers/help us grow food/aerate the soil/feed the birds/etc."* Kind of long for a mantra, but my kids totally get it now.
*Except for hornets; they're just mean.
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Posted by: Micah | 23 November 2009 at 01:00 AM