One of the reasons I have such a passion for helping kids make a connection with these amazing animals is because snakes suffer from something I call “Dandelion Syndrome.”
To a child, dandelions are just a beautiful, yellow flower. Children often gather them & present a lovely bouquet to Mom, full of pride at being able to share this small expression of their love. 🌼❤ As they grow older, however, children are frequently taught that dandelions are “weeds” that are unwelcome, especially on a costly, well-maintained lawn. Those same children, who gathered flowers in joy & love, develop contempt for those same flowers. The flowers didn’t change… but their view of them has.
So it is with snakes! 🐍 Even though most snakes are both beautiful & harmless, adults unintentionally pass along their own apprehension, and without even realizing it, they reinforce a child’s anxieties. However, if you give your child an opportunity to explore their curiosity in a safe environment, apprehension turns into fascination & understanding! They may not fall in love with snakes, but fear melts away… and helping a child overcome anxiety is one of the most incredible gifts you can give to them! It starts them down a path of pushing themselves to overcoming other challenges & anxieties in their lives. Overcoming fear becomes a life-lesson that sticks with them FOREVER. 🥰
PS: I still love dandelions 😁
