Seriously, I was never afraid of so many things before I became a parent. It has made me paranoid about everything. And my kids aren't even that old yet!
But wait, I'm not talking about being afraid of my kids getting in trouble, doing drugs, dating, you know, really scary things like that. Just ordinary, everyday things that didn't bother me before kids.
Spiders, for instance. I have never really had a problem with bugs. (with the exception of cockroaches, but that is totally reasonable!) I didn't have to call in a man to kill bugs. I have known several people who have had tarantulas, and actually thought they were pretty awesome pets. But now I have kids. And I live in the midwest. Do you know what a brown recluse is? It is a small, poisonous spider. They live in houses around here. They tend to avoid high-traffic areas, so you don't encounter them too often. Previous to having kids, I would check shoes that I hadn't worn in a while, and I was careful in the attic and basement. But now? Terrified of spiders. Why? Get down on your hands and knees. Toddler level. Look how close to spider level they are! Look at how often toys are retrieved from under furniture. Look at the bins of toys and stuffed animals that might not be cleaned out regularly. What is in there, at the very bottom? See? Terrifying!
Bees, too. Never bothered me before. But hubby is allergic to them, so now I am terrified that one of my kids will be, too.
Stairs. Scary now. Kids fall down stairs. I have to carry kids up and down stairs without holding onto the railing.
Parking lots. Ever notice how you can't see kids because they are shorter than cars? And how small children seem to dart about? Petrifying!
The list goes on... Brick fireplaces. Strangers (tell me, were you ever really afraid of strangers as a kid, or was it that your parents told you to avoid them??). Busy streets. Crowds. My kids' teachers, and what they have to say about them.
Yes, it is now 2012. According to the Mayans, the world is going to end. Scary? No. Those people lived a long time ago, and didn't even use a Gregorian calendar. But spiders? Hell yes.
No comments:
Post a Comment