The Fear of Bees

Posted on Sunday 25 March 2007 at 04:55

How do you help a child overcome the fear of bees? After being asked this question, Dave and I talked about it a bit. Here are some suggestions we came up with:

1.    Have a look at our “bee swarm” web page, which shows our (then) four-year-old calmly reading the newspaper in the middle of a cloud of bees. Read the story to your child.

2.    Have a look through our honey farm posts with your child.

3.    Do what a beekeeper friend of ours did: Explain to your child that running, screaming and flapping is what makes the bees mad. The best way to deal with bees is to hold still.

4.    Find a local beekeeper and arrange a field trip on a hot summer day, when it hasn’t rained for at least two days. On such days, the bees are too busy gathering nectar to be aggressive. Take an air-conditioned vehicle out to the bee yard and watch through the closed windows while the beekeeper works the hives. Don’t park in the bees’ flight paths. Park off to the side and watch what a genuine “beeline” looks like.

5.    Have the beekeeper bring a frame of honey close to the window for the child to look at. Up close, honeybees look like tiny, fuzzy teddy bears. They’re really quite cute. If you've got a good, patient beekeeper, he/she will let the bees walk on his hands like little fuzzy pets.

6.    Judge the beekeeper by what he/she wears to the bee yard. If the beekeeper suits up fully in overalls, gloves, helmet and veil (face-net), this is not the place for your child to get close to bees. If the beekeeper wears shorts and a T-shirt, no gloves, and only occasionally a veil, you know the bees are gentle, and will be okay for your child.

7.    Once the child is comfortable looking at the bees through the car window, roll your window down. Have the beekeeper bring a frame of honey to your side of the car, and try sticking your finger in it. Show the child that it’s not scary, and that it tastes really good. (Note: Don’t try to experience bees when you’re freshly showered. Soaps, lotions and perfumes smell like flowers to them, and they will get a little too up-close and friendly. Have your shower the night before going on a bee expedition.)

8.    If a bee gets in the car, hold still and watch what it does. It will bounce around at the window, seeking the light. Make sure your child knows this beforehand, so he understands that the bees don’t mean to threaten him when they accidentally fly in. It will soon find its way back out.

9.    Be patient. If you’re not willing to get out of the car and look at the hives, don’t expect your child to be. Set the example by exploring the bee yard with the beekeeper. Talk to your child about the best way to move around bees – don’t jump, don’t panic, don’t make sudden movements. The experienced beekeeper Dave used to work for seemed to glide as he walked through the yard. He had grown up around his father’s bees, and was an expert at moving smoothly and calmly.

10.    When your child feels ready, let him look at a frame of honey through the open window, and maybe taste it. Then, again at his pace, let him come out into the bee yard. Let him suit right up so he feels safe. This might mean a jacket and heavy jeans, rubber boots to cover the ankles, gloves, hat and a tie-down veil.

11.    When the time is right, let him taste the honey right out of the comb. This will mean putting his hand close to the few bees that are on the frame, so leave it up to him whether he's ready or not.

12.    Teach your child about the different types of stinging insects. If things reverse, and he gets too comfortable with them, remind him that unlike “tame” honeybees, wasps and hornets are much less friendly.

Keep in mind that being afraid of bees is not the end of the world – many adults are. Our six-foot-tall motorbiking friend went running from the bee yard screaming like a little girl, “It’s after me!” because one happened to fly near his head. The main thing is to teach the child how to react in case of an "emergency," just like fire drills.

I think I may 'bee' the person

Posted by jackiebridgen on Sunday 25 March 2007 at 05:06 - Link

who suggested the person with the bee phobic child ask you for advice.
which turns out to have been one of my better ideas <g>
jackie
x
PS Before you ask, Mud.

Untitled Comment

Posted by a1health on Wednesday 28 March 2007 at 12:40 - Link

Thank you for sharing. I will show these sites to my 9 year old. I'll look for a bee keeper soon. It is already warm here in Georgia so now would be a good time.
Blessings,
~Farrah