"...and I Ripped off the Butterfly's Wings."

Well I think it is good to explain not to harm innocent creatures, but I think what you did was perfect. He probably was just investigating and wanted to see what would happen and did not fully get that it was something terrible for the butterfly. I mean, he probably doesn't even associate death with pain at this point and he certainly has no fear of death or sense of his own mortality. So, I think he was a being a boy and explaining that ripping off the wings hurt the butterfly was perfect. Also continuing to show him how to be gentle with living things is important. My three year old tends to man handle my six month old and I always remind him that my six month old is a living human and has feelings, he is not a doll or toy. I don't think there is any worry here, if a young child more like 10+ starts harming kittens etc, then it's big stuff. But such a young child was probably merely curious and doesn't have much empathy yet. You did fine and your kid is normal!!:D

I think this is normal for kids that age. It probably hasn't occurred to them yet that animals have feelings. Just have the same conversation with them a few more times so it will sink in. They have to learn to be gentle with butterflies, glass objects, babies, kittens, etc.....
When I was little, I figured out that squishing fireflies would make a glowing streak. I just didn't know any better at that age. But I still grew up into an adult who cares about animals. I'm now the type of person who catches the wasps in my house to let them go outside.

I think you handled it beautifully, D.. Kids that age have a long way to go in the empathy department. Your son is probably tender and understanding toward humans, and probably warm-blooded cuddly creatures by now. It takes longer to begin to identify with cold-blooded beings. He will, more than likely, notice your kindness gradually, and follow your example.

My husband came upon a young boy beating a snake to death once. He paused, looked sadly at the snake, and said, "Oh, he is so beautiful, isn't he? He made a small bow toward the snake, then toward the boy, and said, "You are so beautiful, too." Then he continued on his run. I have a strong feeling that his simple acknowledgement of the beauty of both beings made a deep impression on the boy. At any rate, it was probably preferable to an angry lecture.

I find its in the boys nature to take things apart to see how they work and why. It sounds like that is what your son was more interestes in b/c he wanted to know what species it was. He was probably throwing the wings out the window to see how they worked or if they will fly. At that age they don't focus on too much at once and he heard what you were saying but he was too into how, what and why. My son went through something similar with a frog. He was trying to feed it and squeezed the frog so it would open its mouth and you can imagine what happened next, but my son was so focused on keeping it alive to watch it and play with it that death and pain didn't occur to him until after. I had him bury it and say a pray to say sorry it was an accident and to ask God to take care of it. He is a lot more careful now with what he finds in the yard and even tells his sisters to becareful. Don't worry, I think its an age thing and a boy thing. They are little explorers and they learn by hands on. Take care.

Touchy-feely, maybe just a tiny bit, but then again I have been too in similar situations. I have 2 kids and have a background in ecology and environmental education. Teaching children to love and enjoy nature is important to connect them to their own surroundings. Keep teaching him and he will continue to learn. Kids this age just don't understand that they are causing harm (and they don't really understand death either). Also it was a silent butterfly without facial expression, so it wasn't obvious to him that he was causing harm (as opposed to pulling on a dogs tail where it would look hurt, yelp, and run away).

It is normal boy behavior unfortunately. My brother used to catch crickets and grasshopper and rip one leg of and watch it try to hop away. He also heard that lizard can regrow their tail so he had to test that theory too. I'm not sure my mother ever knew about those activities though she was thoroughly annoyed with all of the crawdad, lizards, turtles, and frogs that my brother and I were always dragging home. I was told that she (MY MOTHER) used to tie a string around the leg of a lizard or frog and tie it to her bed post. She shared a bed with my aunt. My aunt told about waking to find a lizard walking across her face many times. My grandmother complained about all the shoe boxes full of bugs that my mother kept under the bed. My mother even found a baby mouse in the barn and brought it in the the baby shower some church and neighborhood ladies were having for my grandmother and sent them all scurrying away. Kids will be kids.

I would continue to explain why you don't like it and how they are hurting the bug or animal that they are hurting. I have not had to deal yet with this issue with my boys. I hope that I have the wisdom to deal with it when it comes. Good Luck!

they are at the stage between 3 and 6 where they will be tender and gentle one minute and destroy the insect the next. It is normal. Feelings will develop, don't worry. Hopefully it was a cabbage white and not one of the rarer ones...............