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Original poster

Please can you help my DD?

278 replies

Teddydilemma · 03/10/2018 19:39

I have name changed because I might show DD this thread.

DD is 10. Since she was a baby she has had a much loved teddy. Currently she sleeps with it and will cuddle it if she is upset. It stays in her bedroom.

Recently she has become convinced that she should not have teddy any more. She thinks others would say it is babyish to still have a teddy.

What do you think? Is it OK for a 10 year old to have a teddy at night? What age should she give it up?

OP posts:
wholetthekittlesout · 03/10/2018 20:03

25 and still have a teddy.
I need something to hug at night.

bellinisurge · 03/10/2018 20:04

Keep your teddy for as long as you like.
For ever if you want. I'm in my fifties. I sometimes miss my teddy and wish I still had it.

MrsJayy · 03/10/2018 20:04

My Dd is 20 and has a beanie baby same age as her it is very fragile now but it stays on her bed being 10 or 100 never too old for a teddy.

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Namechange8471 · 03/10/2018 20:06

I still sleep with my teddy!

His name's Hodgewick he's an owl and I literally cuddle him like I'm a kid!

Never too old

DD is also 10 and has many many teddies, she sleeps with about 4!

Namechange8471 · 03/10/2018 20:07

I'm 28 😂

LemonysSnicket · 03/10/2018 20:08

Oh and my mum has her 2 special bears still age 57. They're threadbare but v special.

I cuddle my cat when I'm sad and it always helps

stopdropandroll · 03/10/2018 20:08

yep 35 and still sleep with the same teddy i’ve had since i was 2 😊

MrsJayy · 03/10/2018 20:09

When other Dd moved out her teddies went with her

overagain · 03/10/2018 20:12

My teddy is 35 years old and still on my bed.

Pissedoffdotcom · 03/10/2018 20:12

30 here & still have my childhood teddy. Had to have her mended after the dog chewed her zipper me and said dog had some serious words and i honest to god went to pieces. Took her to the menders & told them very frankly that she was precious, i was a wreck for having to leave her, please please be so careful. They put her in a bag on a shelf & made sure to leave it open so she could 'breathe'. Even as an adult that kept me happy.

You are never ever too old for comfort & if anybody teases her for it they clearly don't have that security item behind them. Which is very sad

bananasandwicheseveryday · 03/10/2018 20:13

I still have my teddy - I'm in my fifties. My DCs also still have their teddies. They are adults. Guess what present we bought when our grandchild was born? 😀 And I hope it is as well loved as mine, when dgc is my age!

MarmiteTermite · 03/10/2018 20:16

I took my Luby to uni and still have her now aged 51 but she has been in a drawer since I got married aged 31 Bear

pontiouspilates · 03/10/2018 20:16

I'm 50 and my daughters are 18 and 13 - we all still have our Teddies!

Witchend · 03/10/2018 20:16

Mine shared my bed every night until I got married. Then my cruel husband kicked her out. I did suggest he could sleep on the floor.

My 11yo has one. It doesn't go out of the house, but I call it his barometer. The less confident/happy he's feeling the more and closer he has it.

However if she's feeling nervous about it, suggest she keeps it for nights only and if friends are coming round then she can hide it in your room.

lpchill · 03/10/2018 20:17

I have two dogs that sleep with me. They help me for tummy aches, constant pain in my arm, for when I cry etc. Even though I am married and have a child of my own my husband and daughter loves these dogs too and will use them.

lovetherisingsun · 03/10/2018 20:17

Tell her i'm 35 and the teddy I was given on the day I was born still sits on the bedside table next to me every night. He's my best little friend.

WelshPooch · 03/10/2018 20:17

My dd is 20 and at uni. She has taken her doll (now very balding and quite frankly a really odd colour) - back with her. I still have two 'spares' just in case Grin

Kahlua4me · 03/10/2018 20:17

I still have my teddy in my room and I am 50!

My ds is 15 and dd is 13 and both have their favourite teddies on their beds. I think they were both 10/11 when they stopped taking teddies on sleepovers, school trips etc, although did take them if going to stay with family.

UtterlyDesperate · 03/10/2018 20:18

I'm currently away for work in a hotel. My teddy is with me. I'm 44 (he's 42). He travels all over the world with me, in my hand luggage, and is even in my go bag when I'm working in conflict zones.

10 is not too old for soft toys.

AmabelleOnabike · 03/10/2018 20:18

My mother threw my teddy in the bin (😭 40 years on!) So I have a new one for the past 25 years. He lives on my teenagers bed, he is beyond ridicule as he is so venerable. I borrow him back if in need. However, my now 16 year old had a much loved bear who came everywhere with us (in fact the current version is #3 which cynical teen does not know) and she still has her on her bed but she gets very cross if we ever make any reference to the bear. Apparently my biggest crime was making the bear "talk" and have a personality. (This might have been what drove my parents over the edge too and led to their bearicide) and she says she will never forgive me for this as she would like to throw the bear out but cannot due to it (once) having a personality (I personally blame Toy Story for this ☺).

Meanwhile my almost ten year old has a bear he adores and who is allowed to have a personality and "talk" to him. We have great fun with him as he is a bit bold but also is good for helping out with emotional problems that dc2 has and would not otherwise discuss (so there my cynical teen!) But i guess he too will go the way of all bears - onto the scrap heap.

Which leads to the question: what do you do with old and retired bears? I have a box of them in my bedroom, all adored once upon a long ago and with too much sentimental attachment to chuck into landfill. Again: thanks Toy Story!

EK36 · 03/10/2018 20:19

Maybe she can bag him to put in the loft. That way if she misses him, you can get him back down. My child at age 7 said teddies are for babies. We put them up in the loft. Now at age 9 she has them on her bed again! I think there's nothing wrong with having a teddy at any age!

PerspicaciaTick · 03/10/2018 20:19

I have a rabbit I was given as a baby. I have a photo of me (just old enough to sit up) with this huge rabbit. Nearly 50 years later, rabbit snuggles into the palm of my hand and is so fragile that they have a special nest in my sock drawer. The teddy my DH gave me when I was 18 and going to university (he wasn't DH back then) still lives on my bed.

My DDad still has his childhood teddy - and he is coming up to 75 years old.

Tell your DD to love her teddy for as long as she wants. Teddy wll be a constant friend - unlike most of the people she meets at school.

foxyknoxy30 · 03/10/2018 20:19

Yep my kids are 12 and 15 ,both have comfort cuddly toys for bed ,in fact my 12 year old uses an old battered Mr tumble from he was about 2 😃😃

ShadowHuntress · 03/10/2018 20:19

I only stopped sleeping with my teddy when I got together with my now dh as he kept getting in the way. I was 31!

mistermagpie · 03/10/2018 20:20

I've still got my teddy (Rupert) and I'm 38. My son who is three things it's a tragedy that my DH doesn't have a 'cuddly' so we are getting him one for Christmas. (He's 35).

Nothing wrong with having a teddy!