How Old is Too Old to Have Special Cuddlies?

[AJ65]

This relates to another topic I started, but how old is too old to have special cuddlies? My 9 yo DD has these floppy toys that she's had since she was a baby. She likes to keep them near her and sleeps with them. She also 'does' them which means rubbing certain bits of them between her fingers for a particular comforting sensation. She doesn't take them out and about and they only leave the house if we go away for holidays.

My husband despairs of them and makes efforts to get her to leave them in her room, but I'm not really bothered if they make her happy. It's clear that the more secure and happy she feels the less she carries them about and I'm pretty sure she'll give them up when she's good and ready, but he seems to think that if she isn't forced to give them up she'll take them to Uni with her (would that really be so terrible?)

Any thoughts?

[Seeline]

I took my teddy to uni with me........

[orangepudding]

I cant see the problem. She'll let them go when ready if ever!

[Iggly]

I struggle to understand the issue here...

Leave her be! Harmless security toys for a child?

[BertrandRussell]

Dd took Bear and Monkey to university with her.........

[KevinAndMe]

When they don't want theem anymore.
My 12yo still has a few in his bed even though he wouldn't take them on a trip with school (but will anywhere else).
My 10yo has a bed full of them.

I still have mines from when I was little but I don't sleep with them anymore

[FattyNinjaOwl]

My 6 yo DS (nearly 7) still has his giraffe that he cuddles at night. And Geoffrey also makes an appearance when he's feeling insecure, I'm not worried. I don't have any teddies from childhood, but I do have a couple that live on my bed.

[KevinAndMe]

Would it be really terrible if she was taking a cuddly to Uni btw? I know plenty of people who have done exactely that tbh.

[JimmyGreavesMoustache]

dd1 is nearly 9, and the first thing she does on returning to the house is find her cuddly - one of those baby blankie things - and press it to her face. She inhales deeply a few times, as if it's an oxygen mask, and then pops back up refreshed.

I can't get too stressed about it yet, as I sucked my thumb until I was fourteen .

[CPtart]

DS2 (9) cuddlies take up more room in his bed than he does. He called them "the family". DS1 (almost 13) still has an old favourite in in his bed too.
And they come on holiday!

[TheRadiantAerynSun]

Well, I'm 36 and have a stuffed dog that was given to me on the day I was born and now lives on top of my dresser. After watching Toy Story 3 I went and gave her a cuddle

I'm the least sentimental person I've ever met... but some things just stay with you and, as long at you're not silly about it, that's ok.

[Greydog]

Erm - I'm pretty ancient, and still have a scruffy donkey that I had as a toddler. I've had it for almost 60 years. Why worry about it? It's not doing any harm to anyone. Lots of famous people have mascots they take with them. I feel sorry for your DH if he "despairs" of this!

[MuttonDressedAsGoose]

My 9yo son has "blankie." He needs it to sleep and it goes on trips /overnight with us.

When he'd just turned 5 he had a lengthy stay in hospital. I was incensed to learn that a nurse on nights scolded him and shamed him. He was embarrassed about it for some time after that but I think he's over it as I've made it clear the nurse was a stupid bitch. (I probably used those actual words!)

Blankie was knit by my mum, who died a week before he was born. I'm thrilled that he bonded with it

[AJ65]

Thanks for all your lovely reassuring messages. The idea of inhaling cuddlies' scent like an oxygen mask is particularly familiar!

I'd love to get her a kitten, but we're in an upstairs flat with no outside access... Meanwhile, I think I'll focus my energies on getting my husband to back off rather than getting my DD to give up her security!

[NanaNina]

My DGD still has her "dabby" (she's 15!!) it started with a cellular blanket when she was a baby - she used to have it stretched out and held under her nose (right from the time she was about 6 months old) then later I started cutting the cellular blankets up into small pieces and she named them "dabbys" when she was about 2 or 3. And she still has them. Sort of puts them under her nose (mostly when she's in bed going to sleep) but occasionally at other times. Mind I am the one whose daft because from time to time I buy a cellular blanket from Mothercare, cut it up into squares and hem the edges and hey presto - a new load of "dabbys" - they get lost you see! She has taken one on school trips and other girls in her year had comfort things they slept with...........so I don't think there's any age that's too old.........what's wrong with having some comfort when we need it.

My other grandchildren (age 10 and 6) both have "Clothies" - a muslim square and my DGS has a penguin and DGD has a monkey. They are "must haves" and can't sleep without them.

Incidentally adults comfort themselves with excess food, cigarettes and booze - far more harmful than a blanket!!

[BertrandRussell]

"Meanwhile, I think I'll focus my energies on getting my husband to back off"

Do you think this might be difficult?

[ifancyagreencard]

DD will be heading away this weekend learning to shoot a REALLY big rifle . Despite being a hardened cadet, "Pinkie" will be safely stashed in the bottom of her sleping bag

[SavoyCabbage]

My dd is nine next week and she can hardly get in her bed for cuddly toys. And she plays with them a lot. One of her build a bear dogs has just qualified to be a customs dog. He works nights at the airport. She trained him in the garden. She was so excited when he passed the test as apparently only 10% pass!

She also sleeps with a muslin square from when she was a baby.

[InQuiteAPickle]

DD1 is 8 and has her special "cat". She shows no signs of "out growing" cat and I suspect that cat will be with her forever. Unless she loses it. at that very thought, it would be a very sad day indeed.

[Alibabsandthe40Musketeers]

I still have my teddy in my bedroom. He and a couple of other things came to university with me - and the vast majority of other people had cuddly toys too!!

[InQuiteAPickle]

Well, I'm 36 and have a stuffed dog that was given to me on the day I was born and now lives on top of my dresser. After watching Toy Story 3 I went and gave her a cuddle

Aw! That's so cute.

[InQuiteAPickle]

I must add that cuddly toys are the most played with toys in our house. The games that my two create with their teddies are amazing and go on for hours! They have far too many teddies, amongst other toys, but at least all of their teddies get played with.

DD2 talked me into buying her a new Pluto at the Disney Shop at the weekend when we went in to get her a treat. I had decided that she wasn't getting a cuddly toy .

[EmpressKnowsWhereHerTowelIs]

I'm 42 and the teddy I was given the day I was born still lives in my bedroom. I'd be devastated if anything happened to her.

[CityDweller]

Tell your DH not to be so coldhearted!

I had a quick cuddle with DD's stuffed pig yesterday when she bought it (and herself) into our bed. I had a brief 'I should get myself one of these' moment.

[PassiveAgressiveQueen]

Meanwhile, I think I'll focus my energies on getting my husband to back off rather than getting my DD to give up her security!

you hear so many stories of grown ups telling the time their "cuddly" was taken away from them, the hurt/upset in their faces at 40+