Bug Hotel

So the other day, Jayce comes in the house and asks if he can collect all the earwigs and rolly-polly's in the yard so that he could put them all in one place and call it a "hotel for bugs". Cute enough, so I said, "Yeah, of course".
I kind of remember when I was a kid, treating bugs like toys. I remember playing with ants, rolly polly's, ant lions, flies, spiders, and whatever unfortunate insect that had the misfortune of crossing my path on a day of boredom.
So seeing that Jayce wanted to collect these, didn't really faze me, especially since it's just a kid thing to do.
I was in the kitchen and every once in a while I could hear him, and his friend Gabe, shouting out their victories, "Look this one is real fat one!" or "Look, I caught two at one time, and they are trying to pinch me".
I thought, I have got to get a picture of this, this is just too cute, well, the boys, not the bugs.
Before I had a chance to grab my camera, I got distracted by a phone call and about 10 min later, I went to hunt for this "Bug Hotel". I searched in the front yard, where I heard the boys playing, and no boys. Went to the backyard, and still couldn't find them. I felt bad I missed the opportunity to take a picture, so I came back in the house and put my camera away. Just as I was sitting down at my computer, Jayce runs by with his hand cupped, I call him over and this is the conversation:
Me: Jayce, what do you have in your hands (this is such a dangerous question to ask a 8 year old)
Jayce: Look mom, I have at least 20 Rolly Polly's
(As he opens his hands to reveal at least 20)
Me: Great, so is this for your bug hotel?
Jayce: Yep, we have collected so many bugs for our hotel
Me: You know, I wanted to take a picture of you bug hotel, is that ok?
Jayce: Yeah, follow me
So I follow him, down the hallway, to the laundry room, wait, not to the laundry room, where the back door is, he's still walking
Me: Jayce, where are you going?
Jayce: To show you the bug hotel.
Me: (Calmly)But I thought you made this hotel out in the backyard?
Jayce: We did
(Whew!)
Jayce: But we moved into my room, we want them to be comfortable
Me: AHHHHHH
As I gingerly follow him into his room, he leads me over to a spot, boxed in with pillows and cardboard, and lo and behold, a TON of earwigs and rolly polly's and some other bugs thrown in for good measure.
So as a Mother, and as all Mothers know, you have to not show repulsion as you kid beams with pride at his creation. And as all good mothers know you have to be quick with a solution
Me: Aww,um, hey Jayce, you know what Hotels are right?
Jayce: Yeah, they have a bed and tv and we get to stay up all night.
Me: Yeah, but the most important thing is that they have beds right?
Jayce: uh-huh
Me: So let me go get a special spray that will put these bugs to sleep.
Jayce: Oh yeah!
I run to grab the bug spray, with a mix of guilt and humor, and a whole lot of plain creepiness.
I get back and tell the kids to gather the rolly polly's and take them outside, really because I like them and they had no choice in their relocation. But watching those earwigs run around with their tiny pinchers and gazillion legs, yep, no sympathy!
So as the boys took the bugs outside, I sprayed with everything I had into that bug hotel and watched as they insects slowly "fall asleep"
The boys came in and I had them take their cardboard box outside, I told them that the bugs "sleep" better in fresh air (well don't we all?)
So they happily take their hotel outside. When they come back in, I gently tell them that bugs like it in their homes, outside, and we like them to stay there because we like our home inside.
My son is very compassionate, and always thinks of the wellfare of other and soon he will understand, so do I