Itsy Bitsy Spider

The kids have been refusing to go into the basement for weeks now without an adult. And even when I go down with them, they will only sit on the couch, not play with their toys on the floor.

Why?

Spiders.

Imaginary giant spiders.

We don't really have live spiders. Well, at least not for very long before the cats chase, torture, demolish, and devour them. And the few I have seen are itsy bitsy (or, for the Brits, eensy weensy, which is how I've heard they sing it), not scary or giant at all.

But kids are kids and fears are a fixation, real or no. And so for weeks now they haven't gone into the basement, even when they really wanted to, going so far as to close the door so the spiders "can't get out." I think they might actually enjoy scaring themselves.

Today, though, Bud actually ventured down there alone and stayed. And when I went down there, he made no mention of spiders. Neither did Sis when she went downstairs. And so I pointed out to them both how brave they were being and also how there were no visible spiders. And they just shrugged.

I guess that's over.

I wonder what's next?