I was looking into bat houses....

[conuly]

Because I like bats (and hummingbirds, but they can get feeders instead of houses....) and it reminded me of something that upset me last time I took Ana to the zoo.

I go to the zoo with Ana, and head straight towards the fish. We stare at the fish a while. We admire the eel. Then we go look at the bats, and the bugs, and the snakes, and the various adorable mammals.

It's great fun. Ana has no fear of these things when they're safely behind glass. (I'm working on reducing her fear of bugs outside of glass, but it's a bit of a struggle. She's fascinated when I show her how completely unafraid I am to have insects crawling all up and down my flesh, but, unfortunately, most insects are not so unafraid as I am, and refuse to participate in this valuable learning experience.)

If she develops such a fear, it certainly won't be from me. It may, however, be from the other adults at the zoo.

God! Why would you go to the zoo just to teach your kids that bats are scary, bugs are icky, and the only fish worth noticing are those in popular movies? WHY????

And if you hold any of those views, why do you specifically go look at the animals you're scared of? Don't you think it's a little rude to walk up to them in their clearly labelled little alcove and start screaming your silly little heads off?

And, while we're on the subject, can you read the damn signs before shooting your fool mouths off about the animals? The little bird isn't the baby peacock. It's a starling. It snuck in there uninvited to eat the food. One would really think that was obvious by the fact that it keeps hopping in and out between the bars. The big bird down there? That's not a duck. It looks nothing like a duck. It doesn't sound like a duck. It ain't a damn duck. It's a goose. You know, the other part of the "duck duck goose" equation? Saved the city of Rome? Ringing any bells?

Read the signs.
Stop being silly.
Grow up.
And please - stop trying frantically to undo all my good work with my nieces. They don't need to have your phobias, thanks very much.

Comments

[sayga.livejournal.com]

my MIL got some books for Kira. They are alphabet books and really cool. One is a-z of different types of fish. One is butterflies. But there is one called the icky bug book and one called the yucky reptile book. All of them are informative, well-researched and beautifully illustrated, but Daniel and I were mad that someone who obviously likes bugs (to make such a wonderful book about them) would name it "the icky bug book." Rarrgh. Daniel left those at his moms house cause he was so mad about the titles.

Yeah, I also hate that other people want to put their beliefs and bad habits onto a perfectly fine and happy child. Like my mom delighting in feeding Kira chocolate shakes and french fries. There is a reason my mom is obese and it ain't genetics. She constantly talks about how important it is to teach a kid healthy eating at a young age, but given the choice, she would encourage Kira to eat crap rather than offer her healthy food. Kira took broccoli out of my bowl at dinner tonight and ate it. She didn't eat her macaroni and cheese. I am fine with this. :P

[conuly]

I know what books you're talking about, actually. Since they're written for older children, I think the icky/yucky parts of the titles were meant to encourage kids to read them. Kids do go through a period where they're all into gross things.

I still tend to agree with you, I'm just saying that I think that was the reasoning this time around.

And ew, chocolate shakes *and* fries? Occasionally is fine, but... at the same time?

Broccoli - mmm. Little miniature trees. Yum!

[sayga.livejournal.com]

well, not shakes and fries mixed together, but in the same meal... and yeah, we give Kira junk occasionally, but not that often. She had a half scoop of coffee ice cream before bed--this kid BEGS for coffee) :/ --but she has lots of healthy meals and snacks during the day.

and broccoli as miniature trees... that's what gets Kira to eat them at all. i say, "yum! little trees!" and she goes "liddleiddle twees!" and bites the tops off. she LOVES eating broccoli (the act of eating it more than the food itself, i think).

[sayga.livejournal.com]

oh, and those books... have you seen the "furry animals" one? there's some line in there about a man being a mammal and implying that animal=mammal, and only animals have fur. it kind of bugged me. i mean, a bumble bee is an animal because it is in the animal kingdom, and it has fur, but they only had mammals in the book...

and i have the Three Little Kittens book, and in one picture the momma cat has her kitten over her lap and is spanking him because he got his mittens dirty... that bugs me too since we don't spank kira. i wonder if/what she thinks about the picture. if she understands what is happening there.

[conuly]

*giggles*

Belgians are big coffee drinkers. Not me, but I'm a freak in my family for it :)

Ana's been stirring everybody's coffee and licking the spoon for... well-nigh on a year now. And declaring how she loves coffee.

Ana actually *does* love broccoli. I don't think we've even had to mention trees yet, she devours the stuff.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

my MIL got some books for Kira. They are alphabet books and really cool. One is a-z of different types of fish. One is butterflies. But there is one called the icky bug book and one called the yucky reptile book. All of them are informative, well-researched and beautifully illustrated, but Daniel and I were mad that someone who obviously likes bugs (to make such a wonderful book about them) would name it "the icky bug book." Rarrgh. Daniel left those at his moms house cause he was so mad about the titles.

Yeah, I also hate that other people want to put their beliefs and bad habits onto a perfectly fine and happy child. Like my mom delighting in feeding Kira chocolate shakes and french fries. There is a reason my mom is obese and it ain't genetics. She constantly talks about how important it is to teach a kid healthy eating at a young age, but given the choice, she would encourage Kira to eat crap rather than offer her healthy food. Kira took broccoli out of my bowl at dinner tonight and ate it. She didn't eat her macaroni and cheese. I am fine with this. :P

[conuly]

I know what books you're talking about, actually. Since they're written for older children, I think the icky/yucky parts of the titles were meant to encourage kids to read them. Kids do go through a period where they're all into gross things.

I still tend to agree with you, I'm just saying that I think that was the reasoning this time around.

And ew, chocolate shakes *and* fries? Occasionally is fine, but... at the same time?

Broccoli - mmm. Little miniature trees. Yum!

[sayga.livejournal.com]

well, not shakes and fries mixed together, but in the same meal... and yeah, we give Kira junk occasionally, but not that often. She had a half scoop of coffee ice cream before bed--this kid BEGS for coffee) :/ --but she has lots of healthy meals and snacks during the day.

and broccoli as miniature trees... that's what gets Kira to eat them at all. i say, "yum! little trees!" and she goes "liddleiddle twees!" and bites the tops off. she LOVES eating broccoli (the act of eating it more than the food itself, i think).

[sayga.livejournal.com]

oh, and those books... have you seen the "furry animals" one? there's some line in there about a man being a mammal and implying that animal=mammal, and only animals have fur. it kind of bugged me. i mean, a bumble bee is an animal because it is in the animal kingdom, and it has fur, but they only had mammals in the book...

and i have the Three Little Kittens book, and in one picture the momma cat has her kitten over her lap and is spanking him because he got his mittens dirty... that bugs me too since we don't spank kira. i wonder if/what she thinks about the picture. if she understands what is happening there.

[conuly]

*giggles*

Belgians are big coffee drinkers. Not me, but I'm a freak in my family for it :)

Ana's been stirring everybody's coffee and licking the spoon for... well-nigh on a year now. And declaring how she loves coffee.

Ana actually *does* love broccoli. I don't think we've even had to mention trees yet, she devours the stuff.