Should I be worried?

Cookie_monster_7

My nearly 3 year old dd keeps killing insects despite being told repeatedly not to. She once was throwing stones at a bumble bee and she's squashed loads of small bugs with her hands.

Yesterday she got caught standing on her grandmas dogs feet, we noticed the dog was limping and didn't know why then she showed us why!:eek:

I'm really horrified and worried by this behaviour because she persists despite being told not to do it because it hurts them etc.

What do you think?

Money_maker

It would worry me but I would go further than just asking her not to. I would hold her back from whichever creature she was torturing, explain how mummy likes that bug/animal and she would not be allowed near them again until she behaved. There is much beauty to be seen in insect/animal life and perhaps the gorgeous buzzy bee and amazingly spotted ladybird can be admired and looked at with respect. Not to mention that a less well natured dog may have bit her!

Any

It would worry me too. Especially as you tell her and she ignores you.

By the way even the nicest dog is not going to withstand prolonged torture. I wouldn't let them on their own in one room EVER.

gonzo127

i also agree you need to do something about it,

i know this might seem a strange question but how do you 'punish' her when she does something naughty? do you have a naughty step? a time out area? confiscate toys? and do you do this to her when she kills/harm the animals or do you just tell her not to?

if you just tell her not to and she still does it you do need to get a bit harder on her, toddlers are known for being stubburn so i dont think you are doing anything majorly wrong i just beleive she is trying to push the boundaries and seeing what happens when she does these things

C_Mababejive

Warm her legs next time you catch her..

susieb

I would be a little concerned as well. Especially as shes been told not too but still does. Can you explain that one day one of the animals might hurt her back, and that as well as being unkind she might get hurt as well.

MERFE

The dog incident would worry me a little but its just encouragement she needs to treat the animals with respect, however the insects wouldn't really bother me in the slightest, they are generally pests when found in the house, my son used to scream for the raid whenever he saw a fly at that age but has grown out of it now. Mine are just a little older and seem to know that in the house they are pests but outside they are great for watching, we have watched spiders build webs, catapillars eating leaves and all sorts but in the house they get me screaming for OH to get rid of spiders, flies get the raid and we put ant powder down every year to make sure they don't come near the house.

p-pincher

my oldest dd who's now 6 used to do exactly the same, when she was really little (about 2 yrs) she was absolutely petrified of any kind of insect then she went through a phase of killing anything that came her way. i really didnt like her doing this so at first she was told off for doing this but she still did it the odd time so i had a proper talk to her about livng things and respecting all animals etc etc. i think she killed them more because she was scared of them rather than being spiteful. she's now stopped completely and now brings all sorts into the house (caterpillars, worms, ladybirds) so now i have to tell her that insects prefer being outside. She loves watching nature programmes on them as well.

I think it probably a similar situation with the dog but obviously needs handling slightly differently as the dog could well lash out, As a 3 yr old she probably still thinks of him being a bit of a toy, especially if shes grown up with the dog and is used to him, in this situation i would probably give her a proper telling off and make clear that shes never to do it again and explain why, you could hurt the dog, what could happen if the dog gets upset etc. I would try to nip this kind of behaviour in the bud but i do think its quite common, at this age there learning right from wrong and testing boundries.

mwa

Is she a sweet natured girl apart from this unwanted behaviour? If you can appeal to her sweet natured side and explain that we love animals in this house and would never ever hurt them etc and keep on this tact until she takes it on board, perhaps this would work? I have a 4 year old DD and couldn't imagine her hurting an animal on purpose as we have always instilled this into her. Maybe you have already tried this though but it does come across that you just tell her not to do it, maybe she doesn't know why it is wrong?

DKLS

You should get in contact with a forensic psychiatrist, they might want to study a serial killer in the making.

On a serious note, do not let her near any dogs (or any other animal) until she can be trusted.

Alikay

She needs to learn empathy. I'd try saying when you see people or animals hurt on TV "how do you think that would feel?" or similar, but keeping it lighthearted and chatty. Always stress that we need to be gentle with insects etc as we're much bigger than them and can hurt them easily. My 3 year old loves handling ladybirds, caterpillars etc but is less keen on spiders. We make sure she is as gentle as she can be (not always easy given her age and lack of fine motor skills!)and moves slowly and speaks softly around animals. Has she got plenty of realistic looking toy animals to play with, rather than "cartoony" types so she develops more of an interest in wildlife?