BEEware

Over the weekend I was telling Andy a story about a bee that was flying in and out of the van, when I was trying to put the kids in the car.  He took that opportunity to explain to Sonya how to react when a bee is around.  He told her what we've all been told.  "Hold still and leave it alone and it will leave you alone."  Only that method has NEVER worked for me, seeing as how I've been stung three times in my life, and every time I WAS holding still.  Stupid bees.  Sonya mentioned to him that was not what I did to the bee in the car.  

"Mom didn't do that," she told him. "She shooed the bee away."

Andy gave me a look that said "that's just stupid", and proceeded to tell Sonya that his way was better.  I did contest that, telling him about the amount of times I'd been stung and I hadn't even looked at the bees funny.  They just don't like me.  In the end, I told Sonya that for the most part, Daddy was right and the best thing to do is  hold still, not run around like crazy, or make the bee mad in any way.  Since it appeared Andy and I were on the same page, or at least the same chapter, about what to do in a bee situation, she listened to our advice and went merrily along her way.  

This afternoon we were in the backyard playing with Sonya's new school friend, Lourdes, and her brother and sister.  I was filling up water balloons for them at the hose, and there was a plant there that had bees flying in and out of it.  Sonya and Lourdes were standing near me waiting for their water balloons.  They pointed out all the bees that were on the plant.  Sonya decided Lourdes should be as informed about bees as she was now, thanks to her parents.  

"Lourdes," she began, "when a bee comes near you, you have to hold very still so they think you're not alive and then BREAK FREE!"

I guess we did our job better than we thought.  Not only does she know what to do when a bee comes near her, but she's got bear attacks covered too.  Conflicted parenting at it's best!