The Sowbug Killer

One of Bradley's most favorite things to do outside is find sowbugs - otherwise known as roly polys. He is so very gentle and sweet with them, as he is with everything actually. Gracie on the other hand, bless her heart, is not. The other day Bradley found a little critter habitat that we actually got from a kids meal forever ago and he was so excited to go find a roly poly to make it their home. He went outside and quickly found one and introduced it to its temporary home. He would bring it inside to show me and then go back outside. Then Gracie started to notice all the excitement... I was in the kitchen and they were outside right next to the patio door. I heard Bradley gently talking to Gracie telling her to be very careful and saying it was his friend - then I hear a panicked "no no no NOOOO!" and then a blood curdeling scream and I run out there to find Bradley sobbing holding an open, empty critter habitat with Gracie standing next to him - holding PIECES of roly poly in her hand. Man was I mad! I grabbed Gracie and put her in time out (after a few spankings) yelling at her that she CAN'T kill roly polys like that. Bradley was such a sweet boy, he was so very sad and I told him how sorry I was. He quickly calmed down and even went over to Gracie in time out and, again very gently and calmy said, "You just can't kill roly polys, he was my friend, that hurt him". She was crying and crying and saying "sorry" over and over. Afterwards I went over and asked her if we're supposed to kill roly polys and she would say "yes, like this" and do this ripping and twisting motion with her fingers. We have had MANY MANY talks about this since then, but I still don't trust her around small, fragile bugs, animals, or... actually anything fragile :) It is crazy to me how different Bradley and Gracie are. He has ALWAYS been so gentle with everything, even when he was SO young. And Gracie is just SO not :) She is spunky, and tough, and ornery, and SO strong-willed. She just cracks me up. She will go out of her way to stomp on bugs outside and Bradley will run the other way if he finds any (other than roly polys). I am trying my very best to explain that we need to leave bugs alone and that they belong outside and that's their home and we shouldn't bother them. That girl is one tough cookie! :) (PS - The only reason I know roly polys are actually called sowbugs is because a couple weeks ago I found the nastiest looking spider in the middle of my house and looked it up online and it was called the Sowbug Killer Spider - needless to say Bradley was very mad at the spider, even more so than other spiders. Kevin said Gracie probably let it in :) )