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Anne McD
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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Here's my problem:
I love CM, I love nature, I love the idea of doing nature study. I even took the kids on a great trail today to "see what we could see" and found so much great stuff (including a brown and blue butterfly that I can't seem to identify . . . )but . . .
I hate bugs. Nature gives me the creeps! We found the coolest bug that I managed to catch in a bag, but its still moving (bleg).  Those cool butterflies we saw? They swooped over my head a couple of times and elicted a response from me that was reminicent of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds 
My other problem is germs (the other bugs!) We've found egg shells and nests that were so beautiful, and I've wanted to keep them and make a nature shelf here in the house, but . . . they're germy, right????  I talked to my dh about this and he just smiled and said, "we survived, didn't we?" So true, but he also says, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," but personally, I think what doesn't kill you can put you in a permanently weaker state . . . 
How do I get over this? Once the kids are finshed illustrating their narrations, I'm bathing them and checking for ticks.
(ps-- the baby is currently watching the birds outside the window-- sigh. How I do love nature study . . .  )
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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folklaur
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 1:01pm | IP Logged
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Anne McD wrote:
I hate bugs. Nature gives me the creeps! We found the coolest bug that I managed to catch in a bag, but its still moving (bleg).
....
My other problem is germs (the other bugs!) We've found egg shells and nests that were so beautiful, and I've wanted to keep them and make a nature shelf here in the house, but . . . they're germy, right???? |
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Oh, I am so there with you! I love the idea of picturesque nature walks, etc. But my ideal also has nothing that bites, stings, crawls, etc.
I hate bugs. Hate them. Especially spiders. My dh *saves* spiders. He only squishes them when I insist (or "freak out" might be more accurate), or when they are dangerous, like Black Widows (IMO they are ALL dangerous!!!!)
GERMS! ack! yes! Get the Clorox wipes, quick!
Nevada has roaches - not like city roaches, but closer to palmetto bugs - but there are tons of them. ew, ew, ew!
My idea of camping is a fully-loaded RV, or possibly a Super-8 motel ....dh grew up camping just pitching a pup tent, and sleeping right on the ground in a sleeping bag. (my mind boggles at the thought....)
I try really, really hard not to let me kids see me be so squirmish. I try to show enthusiasm. I do not know how good of an actor I am tho...
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MacBeth
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 1:12pm | IP Logged
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C. S. Lewis has some interesting insight into fear of insects in Perelandra...definitely worth looking up.
I hate maggots, but most other crawling things I don't mind, unless they are biting me, in which case, they are fair game.
I do sympathize, though. I have a fear of heights, and was seen on the rim of the Grand Canyon two summers ago nearly in tears...folks asked if they could help me, while the kids just laughed. Yet, going there was very important to me (and I'll go back).
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MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog 
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KackyK
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 2:20pm | IP Logged
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Just do it! I hated worms and this past year in 4H I led a project on making your own terrariums, which ofcourse had to include worms. When I went outside to help my kids collect a bunch of worms to take to the meeting with us, I felt like such a wimp. There they were finding them, trying to scoop them up as quickly as possible, asking me to grab this one or that one (it had just rained, so they were everywhere!). So, I just did it, decided I couldn't say no...and you know what...the worms weren't so bad!
So for me, I got over it, by trying to see myself in my kids' eyes (they may not have really seen me as a silly wimp...but that's how I envisioned they were seeing me) and I decided that's not what I wanted them to think.
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Tina
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 2:20pm | IP Logged
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I guess I'm really in trouble, then, because I am afraid of heights and bugs creep me out, too!
Although I did climb the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras a few years ago because my daughter asked (more like begged) me to. Freaked me out and took lots of focus. It was no Grand Canyon, though. I'd probably pass out there .
As far as the bugs go, I do my best to not pass on my fears and I do encourage my children to explore and learn about all types of nature, including the creepy crawlys. The kids know I'm squeamish. They enjoy showing me the ickiest creatures they can find just to see how I'll react. So in a way, maybe my fear is working in their favor  ?
I think the kids will be ok even if we moms are squeamish. They are who they are. My 9 year old calls me a girly-girl, then goes right back outside to dig in the dirt.
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 2:48pm | IP Logged
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Anne, I am so with you! I really like the IDEA of nature study, and we do spend time outdoors every day, but bugs, spiders, rodents...yikes! No advice--just sympathy here!
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Celeste
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Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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Anne McD
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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Oh good, its not just me.
I was just looking online trying to figure out what that bug was, but looking at all those creepy crawlies that have been enlarged to show detail ......aaaauuuggghhhhhh
deep breath.
Okay.
You know, the kids aren't into bugs, so maybe I can just forget about them. But, what about germs?? Can I bring the birds nest in, or am I risking having something hatch from deep down inside that will infest my basment . . . oh, the horror . . . but in general, what about handling these thing? Should we pick them up, look them over, and then Purell the kids down?
By the way, Kacky, I am SO NOT doing a unit on bugs for 4H!!!!!
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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MacBeth
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| Posted: June 24 2008 at 3:34pm | IP Logged
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As for bugs, you can definitely do nature study without them, though, frankly, they are ubiquitous.
The germ thing is not a big deal, as long as surfaces are dry, eggshells are clean, etc. Mites that are common to birds typically leave the nests with the birds, or die when their food source is cut off. I am sure you are not collecting carcasses, which can be quite germy, or scat, which is germy until dried, and may carry spores thereafter. Live lizards, turtles and other reptiles may carry salmonella, but a simple hand washing takes care of that.
Always store nests, (dry) egg shells and other collectibles with moth balls to prevent moths. Desiccants, like silica gel, are also helpful in storage areas.
A bigger concern is that collecting migratory birds' nests is illegal, and while you can get away with a few that have fallen out of trees, I wouldn't go collecting them specifically, unless you know which nest is which.
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God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog
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Anne McD
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| Posted: June 26 2008 at 5:55am | IP Logged
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Thanks, MacBeth  ! This helps a lot! The nests I was interested in are your (or my, for that matter!) garden variety robin and sparrow nests-- nothing exotic.
Thanks for your help!
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Bugs, shudder . . .
