Kids and Bugs

My five year-old daughter is a major fan of bugs. It seems a little odd to me, since she is my biological child and I am more inclined to let out a blood curdling scream while running with limbs flailing whenever surprised by an insect encounter. My four year-old is in agreement with me and has her own special high pitched scream used in response to a bug moving in her general direction. Now this is a kid that I can understand. This other child, in direct opposition, carries her bugs, builds them little houses and even names them. Did I mention that she touches bugs?

I have a friend with a bug phobia so severe that it makes mine look like a minor aversion. She witnessed a giant cicada land on her eight year-old daughter's back and was only able to scream,"Drop and roll, Meg! Drop and roll!" After the poor kid was finally able to rid herself of the insect she looked at her mother accusingly and said,"You weren't going to help me, were you?"

Yesterday, much to my dismay, my daughter was lovingly holding and caressing her pet grub. She announced,”My grub’s name is Sarah Parker. But I just call her Grubby.”

Just be thankful that I did not post a picture of “Grubby”. Just looking at it sickens me. I can’t even begin to describe the disgusting creature that my daughter touches without that unpleasant sensation of having my skin crawl.