The incident of the jacket and the spider...

House spiders in this country aren't dangerous. They get to about an inch in diameter and that is the top end big ones. Not huge by any account and certainly not dangerous.

So how has my daughter developed a fear of them?

Apparently Bethany went through to MrsTFPs bedroom with her coat on. No clothes, just pyjamas and her new coat. "Mummy, I think there's a bee in here with me..." Took the coat off, it was a spider, about half an inch across.

Now we've tried our absolutely best to not show the kids any form for fear of spiders and I'll give MrsTFP her due, she does very well at hiding her very big distaste for the our little eight legged creatures but still she has developed an irrational fear.

I was having a wee talk with her to find out why they are scary but of course on the subject of spiders, logic doesn't really get a look in. I'm sure there are other outside influences that cause it but still sometimes feels like it's something ingrained that drives it sometimes.