Tuesday, June 24, 2008

My fear!

You know how some people have serious fears of snakes or spiders, heights, etc...? Well, I've never really had any strong fears or phobias. That's not to say that I like spiders or snakes, but the idea of seeing one doesn't make me feel like fainting or anything. It's only been lately that I have realized that I think I do have a serious fear. Don't laugh but I honestly think I might have a real fear of head lice!!! One of the joys of working with children, is the chance of getting lice. It's going around our school at the moment and there have been several children in our after school program who have it. I have become obsessed with the worry that I might get it! I check my hair everyday, cringe anytime one of the kids' hair brushes my hair and have even been having dreams where I get lice and I wake myself up because I'm scratching at my hair!!! Thinking back, I think I have always been terrified of getting it. I can clearly remember the town health nurse coming to our classroom when I was a kid and checking each child's hair with toothpicks and a paper bag, while we sat at our desks. I can vividly feel the anxiety even today, that I used to have at the idea of her calling me into the hall and telling me I had it! I was the same way when it used to go around the daycare where I worked, but not nearly as bad as I am working here. I think because at the daycare, there was a much smaller number of children that I was directly involved with, where here, I am around up to 150 kids daily. Man, it's stressful being fearful of something and I'm not quite sure how to stop worrying about it! I know I've heard that you have to face your fear to overcome it but getting head lice is simply not an option for me!!! Any suggestions? Right now I feel so itchy because I've been thinking about it! Help!!

2 comments:

Kristi Drennan said...

I don't have any wonderful advice but to add to the fear I remember being at the Hendersons and brushing Jill's hair and this little bug crawled on my hand....later that night we found out it was lice!!! AHHHHH!!! I totally didn't get it which thank goodness!

George said...

I hear ya sis! I`d come home from work to a notice(weekly) that lice were "in Chelsea`s" class.

(Pop went more grey hair)

She never got them but it was like a biblical scourge.

Geo