Facing a Fear

Conni has inherited her mother's fear of spiders.  I thought I've been brave the last three and a half years when I see one in front of her.  Probably not.  Some things are just in the genes too, right?

Tonight, Dave and I were downstairs in our family room watching tv.  Conni had been put to bed - three times - and we heard her moving around upstairs.  I thought I heard her coming thru the kitchen, but then I heard her back in her room (directly above the family room).  I figured she was going back to bed.  

Then I hear her coming quickly down the stairs and crying in her panicked teary way that means something has really upset her.  Immediately we get her in the family room and have her tell us what's wrong.  She frantically tells us there's a spider and starts running back upstairs again.  

Its about now that I notice she has a pair of shoes on.  We get up to the landing, and sure enough, there's a spider on the side of the stairs.  It was a pretty good size in my book - probably 1-1.5 centimeters for the body, plus the legs.  (ew!!) 

Well, I comfort Conni with my reassuring "Daddy will get it baby, let me hold you." and make Dave get it.  (He's home, why should I have to go to the creepy thing!)  

I asked Conni if she was trying to get it and she said yes.  After Dave squished it and threw the thing in the garbage, Conni ran over to investigate that the spider was truly gone.  Then she wiped away her tears and sweetly told Dave "Thanks for getting the spider Dad!"  And then, "Thanks for taking care of me Mom!"

I was so excited to think that she was going to try to take on this nasty "giant" thing all by herself!  I told Conni she was very brave - she would have had to pass the thing three times to see it, get her shoes, then come get us.  I told Dave I would have stood there staring at the thing to make sure it didn't move while I cried for help.  (Not only at Conni's age, but today I would do the same thing!)  

While I rocked her another time in her room, she said, "thanks for being brave for me Mom."  So sweet!  This girl's found some courage in her, and we will work with her to face her fears and come off the conquering hero!