to think that a toyshop shouldn't change the fur they make their bear with?

[DachsandPup]

DD2 has an attachment to a particular bear only sold in one shop. There have been various replacements over the last 2 years and we've always had at least one bear in reserve because she NEEDS her bear.

Last night she was sick all over said item and we had to deploy the last replacement we had in the house. Went to get some replacement bears to refill the stash - AND THEY'VE CHANGED THE FUR THEY MAKE THE BEAR WITH!!!

I offered her the new bear, having sneakily removed the existing one (we swap them around regularly so they all age at roughly the same rate) and for the first time ever she realised straight away and rejected the bear.

AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH - what do i do now?

Please confirm that I'm not being unreasonable to want to hunt down whoever thought changing the bear's characteristics so much that even a 2 year old can tell the difference and drag them along to my house next time we need a replacement bear so they can see the impact their decision has had on a poor little innocent bear addict. Or alternatively suggest some other fitting punishment for them!

[dementedpixie]

Could you not just wash the sicked on bear?

[DachsandPup]

the bear claims to be wipe clean only - and we're talking soaked in the stuff. i think he has beans in his bottom rather than just fluff so i don't think we can pop him through the machine.

[theycallmemellojello]

I had no idea parents replaced cuddly toys. I had the same rabbit throughout my childhood. Or at least..... I think I did ...

[Optimist1]

Buy the imposter bear, then tell your DD that washing the sicked on bear has changed the feel of its fur.

[WoodleyPixie]

Dd is a lot older than your dd and she has a build a bear. It's been through the machine many times over the years. If it's build a bear it's fine to wash it. Put on a short wash and then put on a radiator to dry.

[Coldlightofday]

Sheep has beans in his bottom. He's been through the wash many times.

Sheepy is fine.

[dementedpixie]

Stick it in a pillow case and wash it in the machine. We do this with all soft toys including those claiming to be wipe clean only

[twirlypoo]

I have 3 teddies in rotation for this very reason. Well, they should be in rotation, except Ds found the back up bears one day when he was about 2.5 and now insists on having all 3 with him always.... I now have 3 bears not to lose, and to shove in the washing machine after pukefests. Total parenting fail on my behalf!

[isntthatapippip]

Just wash the bear. I have washed lots of soft toys and they come out fine. Put it in a pillowcase.

[twirlypoo]

Oh yeah, and Ds bears are wipe clean but I just chuck them in a pillow case on a hand wash cycle and then dry them with a hair dryer.... These bloody bears have my life!

[originalusernamefail]

Is it a jellycat toy? My DS has two cats and they have both survived the delicates cycle in the washer a few times (they have to as the cat is discontinued! ). I'd try it, if it's ruined you were throwing it out anyway.

[timelytess]

That's dishonest! How can a child feel secure if his/her bear is inconsistent?

[HermioneJeanGranger]

Wash it in a pillowcase :)

[wonkylegs]

We have only one 'doggy' he's now nearly eight and has been washed many times - he has beans in his body.
Hand wash cycle with wool detergent works well. When DS was little he used to watch him in the washer to check he was alright but grew out of that one after a couple of times.

[DachsandPup]

we are going to try the pillowcase. but i still think they shouldn't have changed the fur they make them with

[dementedpixie]

Have you thrown away the others you had?

[Loveleopardprint]

If you told us which bear it is, one of us might have an old discarded one floating around that we could send to you.

[DachsandPup]

(it's a fine solution for a dirty bear if it works, but it still doesn't solve how to get a new one if a bear gets lost. we are going to wash a new bear at the same time and hope it changes the texture of the fur enough to fool her)

[SongOfTheLark]

i would bite the bullet and wash the sicked on teddy. done it loads with my DCs toys that claim to be wipe clean only: pop inside pillowcase tie it tight and wash on a quick 30 wash never had any problems with any of them!

whatever you decide to do, good luck! i know the agony first hand of dealing with lost precious cuddlies!

[DachsandPup]

it's the white meringue bear from hamleys with a pink ribbon around its neck

[CremeBrulee]

DD is 13 and still has her original (admittedly well worn) cuddly bear.

How many bears have you been through in two years??

[FreeButtonBee]

This is why I am a mean mean mummy and only allow favoured bedtime toy downstairs when they are ill. And NEVER out of the house (barring holidays and hospital stays). I have two bunnies on rotation and hopefully that will see me through.

[KurriKurri]

Look on e-bay for the old version.

[Loveleopardprint]

On eBay now.

[DrFoxtrot]

All my kids have only ever had one of their favourite bears, the only casualty has been the teddy belonging to my DS who lost it when he was 7. Somehow we managed through washing and vomiting without rotation. My sister has two versions of her DDs teddy and the fuss she goes through so DD doesn't see it in the washer and get confused at there actually being two teddies!!