Ever since we got back from Florida last winter, James has been scared of dogs. While we were there, he was surprised by one (and the dog was just as surprised!), and we've had no luck getting him used to them. Big dog or little dog, it doesn't matter. He screams at them all. We haven't run into any old dogs that just lay there, so that might be our only option for getting him "cured". (Besides getting our own, which won't be happening any time soon for various reasons). I've tried and tried to figure what exactly he is scared of, and to no avail. He just lunges at Greg or I like Jughead does to Archie when he sees Big Ethel.
Then yesterday we had some enlightenment. We were getting out of the car and there was a cat sitting there looking at us. We got out and the cat came closer, and James started crying again. But then he also told me "Cat eat me!" So...that is what he's scared of. Getting eaten. I can now understand him a bit better, so at bedtime we went over what happened, and so I was asking him what cats DO eat. He replied, "Hay". I told him how cats eat mice and birds and little things like that. Luke added fish. "Do they eat boys", I asked him. "No" he replied, "Hay". I left it at that. Maybe we'll figure out some way to get it across to him that cats don't eat hay, nor do they eat little boys. And I don't think that dogs do either, for that matter....
Then yesterday we had some enlightenment. We were getting out of the car and there was a cat sitting there looking at us. We got out and the cat came closer, and James started crying again. But then he also told me "Cat eat me!" So...that is what he's scared of. Getting eaten. I can now understand him a bit better, so at bedtime we went over what happened, and so I was asking him what cats DO eat. He replied, "Hay". I told him how cats eat mice and birds and little things like that. Luke added fish. "Do they eat boys", I asked him. "No" he replied, "Hay". I left it at that. Maybe we'll figure out some way to get it across to him that cats don't eat hay, nor do they eat little boys. And I don't think that dogs do either, for that matter....
