20 June, 2011

Thomas and Spiders...

Cobwebs #2
So on Sunday, Thomas was busying himself noisily making a huge mess with water and sand in the garden (as he does) when all of a sudden he comes flying through the patio doors holding his dripping spade yelling "Pider!!! Pider!!!" (and looking a bit freaked out) - which was rather unusual as the last *two* times he came across one - while on holiday in Cornwall and while in Reigate Fort - it required great restraint to stop him crushing them to death in his enthusiasm to become more intimate...So, stepping outside (him clinging, wetly, to my leg) me clutching a newspaper (picturing some sort of Shelob type encounter) we prowled the garden cautiously until I saw the source of his alarm, a little bumble bee, suspended in the rain water half-filling his sand table..."That's not a spider Thomas, it's a bee" I explained and suddenly all his nervousness disappeared..."Hewwo Bee" he said and poked it with the spade at which it gave a very unenthusiastic twitch, but was certainly still in the land of the living, so, I grabbed the spade from Thomas before he accidentally crushed the poor little creature to oblivion and we lifted it from the water and set it in the sun, sitting and watching as it slowly dried out, finally (after much experimental wing flapping) flying away to it's hive (much to Thomas' delight - "FLYINNNN!!!" he said pointing into the air and jiggling up and down...so when this morning he announced "PIDER!!!" again I was quick to correct him, "No Thomas, it was a bee wasn't it, did we save it from drowning in the water?" but such was his insistence as he said "PIDER!!!" again, I left the kitchen to come and check...and yep, there was a little spider cowering in terror as Thomas' huge hand hovered inches about it's head, so I got a bit of tissue paper and we rescued it into the garden (to a little wave and "Bye bye pider!") but I have to say, I am a bit confused as to exactly when spiders became something to be (if even just ever-so slightly) wary of, rather than to chase and attempt to eat (like ants/woodlice/grapes etc.)...is this something we have unconsciously managed to pass on to Thomas (even though on each occasion we've encountered one together before I've been *very* brave) or is this some sort of genetic defense mechanism manifesting itself?

I'll have to do some research... ;)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

LOL, if it's any help, my mum was terrified of spiders and I became terrified of them too. Not so bad now but certain types have me jumping on a chair.

Unknown said...

P.S. Remember the shed skin I left on your desk as a pressie.

Unknown said...

Yeah, thanks for that near heart attack! Git... ;)

Unknown said...

You know what? Having thought about it, I think Thomas was coming and asking me to rescue the drowning "pider" he had found, not freaking out about seeing it at all...

Mum said...

Grandma is not at all afraid of spiders. What is so special is what a lucky boy Thomas is to have you willing to spend time encouraging him to look at such tiny things and respect them. That's why he loves watching ants, bees, and spiders.