To be sitting crying because we managed to leave DS1's beloved Teddy behind on holiday. And furious at Dh for not checking.

[SayMyNameSayIt]

Sorry if this sounds really stupid. DS1 has had Teddy since he was a baby, he's 6 and a half now. Teddy is so thin and threadbare now but DS1 loves him so much and would sleep with Teddy across his nose, inhaling him.

We were staying at a villa, I was packing all our stuff. Asked DH to pack food etc from the kitchen, and check the rooms. Got to the airport and suddenly I realised I wasn't sure if Teddy had been packed. Cue a big row and Dh getting all annoyed at being asked if he'd packed him or seen him.

I texted the villa rep who went straight there and asked the maids to check if Teddy had been caught up in the sheets etc, which I strongly suspected.

Rep has got back to me saying they've checked and he was back at the villa today to close it for the season and no sign. DS1 is trying to be all tough and pretend he's not that bothered. But I know he is, he said, teddy and I have been together for so long.

I know it's totally irrational and stupid but I'm actually sitting crying. He has loads of teddies and cuddly toys, but Teddy was special. I envisaged keeping him myself when ds1 was all grown up. I feel awful for him that I, myself, didn't think to check before we left.

Teddy wasn't glued to ds1's side, not by any means. Well, not for a long time anyway. Yes, ds1 could have thought to get him himself. I suppose I'm crying for the loss of that wee boy with his teddy as well.

I could get another the same, and ds2 has the same one. But ds1 said he would want him to be the same, which would take years. Think The Velveteen Rabbit.

I very very rarely post a thread, please don't shoot me down in flames. I'm honestly so upset, not a wind up. ( I think I'm just posting to vent, Dh is watching the footy and I doubt he'd understand how I feel anyway. )

[DropYourSword]

I should NOT have watched the Ah Ah returns video at work!!

Having to think up excuses now for why my eyes seem to be defective and leaky!!

[GuybrushThreepwoodMP]

When I was the same age I left a teddy on holiday in Cornwall. My parents then took one of the post cards they had bought and wrote something like "Dear Guybrush, I'm still sitting on the beach in Cornwall in the sunshine and having a lovely time. I think I've decided to stay here. You're such a grown up girl now so you don't need me anymore but maybe you can get a new teddy so you don't forget me? Lots of love, Teddy"
Sounds lame, but it worked.

[MrsMook]

When DS1 was about 18m he lost his toy somewhere in the house, and I was far more bothered. I was so happy when I found him 8 days later in a random place. It's the only soft toy that DS cares for.

My bed still contains the threadbare remnants of my special toys! We seem to have strong attachments to them in my family.

When DS developed the atatchment to his toy, we looked for a spare to swap with, but it had been discontinued.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

DandyDan I can top that! We were flying home from holiday a couple of weeks ago, with DD1, who is almost 5, dragging her poor beloved Brown Bear (floppy arms, chewed necktie, etc) by one arm through the airport.

Anyway, there's a while to wait for the plane, DH takes her for a wee while I guard DD2. Five, maybe ten minutes later we queue to board, DD1 realises she's left Brown Bear in the toilet (was a single-occupancy disabled/family one) (don't start), it's locked and in use. So she and I wait outside this bathroom for it to become free...cleaner comes out, we race in (eyeing up the now-advancing-onto-the-plane queue nervously), and Brown Bear is gone. Excuse me, I call to the cleaner, have you seen...?

And he'd put poor Brown Bear in the sodding bin! FIVE MINUTES we'd lost this obviously-loved teddy! FIVE! You can't tell me that a major airport doesn't have a Lost & Found section. Grrrrrr.

Ahem. Anyway. OP, I'm so sorry for Teddy's loss, I hope he turns up. If he doesn't, I'm another one happy to send postcards from Australia.

[jellyboatsandpirates]

Aw, not unreasonable at all! My eldest DS used to love Ted, and I can just imagine the absolute trauma if we'd have lost it.
Hope he turns up soon.

[Inkspellme]

The idea of receiving letters from teddy on his travels is great. He could send postcards ( whose places happened of course to match with where your friends and family go on holiday). DS could end up with a notice board or a map showing where teds been. Educational & fun.

I was gutted when my son handed me his sleep toy saying he didn't want it anymore. not the same thing I know but your upset is prob about him growing up as well .

[KCumberSandwich]

not unreasonable at all. DS has a little blue bear, and dropped it on the bus one day and never saw it again. i rang the bus company but it was never found- i have left designer shoes new in the bag, mobile phones and purses on the bus and have had the good luck to get it all back each time- this was so much more precious than any of that and i cried.

a lovely neighbour and good friend managed to track one down online, ds and i were delighted, my friend died last year and so this wee bear is just as special as the first and ill be able to tell DS about him when he is older and how mummys friend "rescued" blue bear.

[TheWomanTheyCallJayne]

Going along with the sending letters ideas and the buried owl story
Could we set something up.
I'm sure like us others have loads of soft toys that aren't played with as well as the favourites
When a mns child loses a favourite could someone else send them one of these toys along with an explanation letter from the original toy sort of
'Hi Freddie,
I am having a lovely time. You took me to the beach and I fell in love with it so have decided to stay for now. This is my friend furry, he's been feeling a little lonely lately so I suggested that he comes and stay with you because I know how lovely your cuddles are and that's what he needs. Will you look after him for me please
Love Ted

Or whatever creative genius the mner comes up with.
Means that unwanted soft toys would get loving homes and children who have lost their toys may feel a bit better about their loss

[Hopasholic]

We left DS2's teddy behind in a hotel in London. He loved that teddy and was inconsolable

We manged to get the Hotel to have a look and they found him and posted him back.

When teddy arrived, I unpacked him, put him on the doorstep,snook out and rang the bell. I asked DS to check the door for me and there was teddy on the doorstep I told DS he'd walked all the way back from London because he loved him

Fingers crossed he turns up OP!

[Octonautstotherescue]

We lost beloved teddy on holiday last year in Aberfeldy - he's a Spencer bear with a red scarf - if anyone spotted him near the Falls!
Luckily we have three (bought from ebay at great expense…boy do people know how to take advantage) and were rotating them in the wash so not too traumatic. Rashly bought a further teddy 'just incase' and turns out this teddy is now 'teddy's mummy' (!) and teddy's "daddy" has been requested for Christmas….argh

[WinterWinds]

Oh I do hope you find him.

I was heart broken (as was ds) when ds lost his beloved teddy he was about 5 at the time. When we eventually realised where the teddy had been left several days later, the building had burned down taking lost property with it!

I searched for a replacement but to no avail. my nan, bless her managed to find a very good look a like in a charity shop only it was half the size of the original. We gave ds him for Christmas along with a letter from Santa saying it was big bears baby brother but although ds loved him and still has him, he never formed the same attachment to the new one.

DS is 17 now and I would love to one day find a replacement.

[Oblomov]

Ds2 lost rabbit. He was upset. I seemed even more upset. And angry with myself. I got a very similar replacement. Who is now totally loved.

[SayMyNameSayIt]

No news as yet, an afraid!
I'm just home and need to get the shopping away, boys bathed and up to bed a very large glass of wine because they were with me in asda. Am shattered now!

Some really lovely ideas and stories since I was last here, some very sad ones, too. Can't believe a cleaner would just put a teddy in the bin!!

Thank you so much for the offers to send postcards etc. I'll wait a few more days but I think it might come to that.

So many kind, thoughtful people here, I'm really grateful and very touched. Thank you all again, I'll try and come later when both DS are in bed. ( eek, just remembered I dreamt about Teddy last night though I can't remember what happened. It was nice to "see" him, though!)

[themaltesefalcon]

Hope Teddy turns up.

[elfycat]

I thought I was a bit daft before reading this thread, but I will be carrying on with my habit now.

I always count teddies in and out. So each DD is allowed to have 2-3 toys each on trips out. I obsessively check the number on departures and several checks per day I've also encouraged them to have a gang of toys and the favorites change from time to time.

About 6 months ago I found a Bob the Builder on my way home. It was raining so I took him home to dry out, but left a signup for a couple of weeks, told everone at nursery and put it on my local FB site. No one came so DD2 has adopted him, though DD1 reminds us that it might be temporary. If anyone knows of a missing BtB from Suffolk PM!

[mummytotwins]

Yanbu! My husband lost both of my dt's favourite toys/comforters. First one was my dtd's blankie in the airport on our way away when she was 16months old, only soft thing she would accept was a tea towel, which she still has 4yrs later, its now called manky blanky :D he lost my dts's toy monkey when I left him pushing them in the buggy in town for all of 5 mins!!! Luckily I had 2 impostors ready though we now have to keep an eye on both! I cried my eyes out both times! He has lost them numerous times when in charge and its always me running round like a fool in shops asking if a stinking tea towel has been handed in etc. Thankfully they are 5.5 now so they don't leave the car if they leave the house at all (oh and I never lost so much as a dummy, my dh would always return with at least one item lost grrrrd!)

Hope teddy turns up :)

[lilacmamacat]

I know exactly how you feel. We managed to lose DS's rabbit when we went to visit the out-laws last summer, and DS (he was 18mo) and I could barely sleep with worry for three days. Then I was looking through some photos I'd taken and saw a photo of (DS and) the rabbit at the local church yard. We went back and after 15 minutes of searching found him. I was practically hysterical with relief.

Since then we've bought an 'identical' replacement only it would never work as the original rabbit looks like it's been through the wars and the stuffing has all gone crappy (the joys of cheap but cute Ikea toys...).

Fingers crossed he turns up in the laundry.

[lilacmamacat]

Also meant to say: I think someone is missing a trick here - if you can get cats and dogs micro-chipped why not toys? We have about 5 soft toys that go out regularly and I'd defo get them chipped.

[littledragonmama]

DD had a bunny - a real common one that I bought in debenhams - since she was in her tummy. The bunny was there when she went though sleep training, and thus was her best friend that stuck with her - even when mummy and daddy weren't around. I lost her one day when DD was about 8 months old while on a walk. When I've noticed I walked back and forth the exact street over and over again like a mad woman (and I'll tell ya it was a hot day and a very long walk). Couldn't find it (which makes me think - who would take such a toy? cost nothing)- I was devastated and cried buckets loads, .....and bought two more bunnies (same one) straight away. Long story short - DD is now on bunny # and isn't even a year old yet. (we currently have house bunny, nursery bunny and replacement emergency bunny)

[MiddleAgeMiddleEngland]

Poor teddy, I hope he is ok wherever he is.

One of my DCs is going through the big decision - is it safe to take her favourite cuddly which she's had since a few days old off to university next year, or is it better to leave him at home. She has suggested that I get him to 'talk' to her on Skype each evening!

[littledragonmama]

re lilacmamacat - LOL I was actually swearing that I will GPS tag my DD's bunny before she walks out the door (the bunny not the baby).
as an alternative for now, I have a leash for the bunny that holds tightly onto the buggy or the baby.
Also I am hoping to get a larger version of the bunny for DD's birthday and tell her that bunny's also grown - which hopefully would make it more difficult to lose her.
(btw in the previous post I meant to say - since she was in MY tummy, not her tummy)

[FutTheShuckUp]

YANBU at all, this is the kind of thing that word make me so so upset. It's the whole innocence of a child thing. I pray the ending is happy and he turns up.

[girlsyearapart]

When I was little I went to Australia with my parents and we stopped off on the way in Singapore.

My beloved bear got left behind- in the sheets.

Some very very kind person (also looking back with probably some kind of time/financial investment from my mum & dad) found him & posted him to Australia where we were reunited.

I still have him :-)

[cerealqueen]

Loving this thread, hoping teddy gets found and is re-united with your DS

When we lost 'bunny, with no sign of him in the house, I thought we had left 'bunny' in the garden which is regularly visited by foxes who have left us half chewn gloves so we know who is boss.

Emergency purchase on Amazon, for evening delivery, which cost more then the bunny itself. Bunny arrived, all was well. Then we found real bunny under DD's cot. DP left the two bunnies on the sofa and we found Dd patting them both saying 'two bunnies', seeming to accept the interloper. Thing is, she has hardly given either bunny a glance since presumably because 'bunny' is no longer that special.

Kids eh.

[RedLentil]

Our 'soft bear' mysteriously acquired a Peruvian cousin, known as 'backup bear' after a similar crisis. 8 years on, soft bear is on a bean bad reading a strategically-placed magazine about iPhone apps. The extent to which a toy can become family is extraordinary.

Hoping for a happy outcome ...