Boys, Girls and a Mantis

Kate was thrilled to find this praying mantis near the pumpkin patch yesterday.
So thrilled that she yelled "Mom I found a praying mantis" as she ran inside to tell me to come see. I followed of course.
We have seen hundreds of praying mantis in our yard this year, and grasshoppers too.
I have no fear of bugs- even spiders, so I usually point them out to her in an exciting way.
She usually in interested bordering on fearful.
I held the mantis for a moment to let them get a better look at their find.
Kate asked if she could hold it.
I let her, recalling the past six times she held a bug/ shook her arm and started to cry that I remove the offending bug immediately.
This time it turned out- she still was not ready to hold the bug.
See her face in the above photo.

Sam was more than willing to hold the mantis.
He didn't wince or whine and curiously watched it crawl up his arm for almost 1 minute.

At this end of this. Kate demanded another turn. If Sam was brave enough- I suppose she could be too.
So she also let this praying mantis sit on her hand for a few seconds. Slowly overcoming her fear of bugs.

I promise to in no way have shaped my children's feeling towards insects negatively.
But girls will be girls and boys will be boys I suppose.