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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be concerned my daughter still sleeps with her ‘blankie’ aged 17!

118 replies

Applebojangles · 22/03/2018 00:58

My dd (17) still sleeps with her blanket and literally cannot be without it at night, she has had it since she was born but just won’t give it up. She is mature for her age apart from this. When I looked in on her just now she had it over her face just like she was 4 years old again, she used to have a thing about it keeping her safe while she was asleep. She will hopefully be off to uni in September and I’m very worried about this, she can’t exactly take it with her can she? So is this weird or am I just overreacting?

OP posts:
Ishouldntbesolucky · 22/03/2018 01:00

You're overreacting! I think it sounds quite sweet.

And of course she can take it. I'm sure she'll hide it if she's embarrassed about it.

prideofaberdeen · 22/03/2018 01:01

Overreacting! There'll be plenty of kids there with their childhood teddies. I think it's lovely that it still helps her. She may still have it when she's 40 and so what?!

user1486241726 · 22/03/2018 01:06

Yabu

Greenyogagirl · 22/03/2018 01:09

yabu

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 22/03/2018 01:10

Has it ever been washed? Grin

iamthere123 · 22/03/2018 01:10

I’m 32, living in my own house, a perfectly normal grown woman with a respectable and responsible job and I have my beloved, mostly furless, nearly headless teddy tucked in with me! At 18 most of my flat mates (girls and boys) turned up at uni with some sort of comforter tucked away somewhere! It’s normal!

CocoPuffsInGodMode · 22/03/2018 01:11

Overreacting and a bit late to be concerned really. At this stage any detrimental effects would have already occurred! At 11 it might have been considered babyish by her peers and left her open to teasing but at 17 it reverts back to "Aw, that's so sweeeeet" in a "we're proper adults now, we're allowed to be sentimental" sense. I wouldn't worry.

BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 22/03/2018 01:11

I would have no problem at all with this. I think you'll find it disappears into the back of a drawer or a memory chest at some point, possibly if there's a boyfriend on the scene at Uni. Starting Uni and being away from home is a huge change, and her blanket will probably provide some much needed comfort during the almost inevitable times of homesickness and loneliness. Stop fretting about this OP.

Spenlo · 22/03/2018 01:12

I took my childhood teddy to uni and (and so did lots of my friends in halls) and still sleep with it now at 30! don’t think it’s weird or a problem

RedForFilth · 22/03/2018 01:12

Yabu. I still do some things for comfort that i did when i was a kid. And i still have my favourite childhood teddy. I think many people keep things like that.

iamthere123 · 22/03/2018 01:13

My teddy was actually taken hostage once by my flat mates bunny because I was taking too long to get ready to go out for dinner and was sent a pic of teddy taped to a chair with packing tape and a ransome notice from bunny round his neck!

CocoPuffsInGodMode · 22/03/2018 01:14

^ I say I wouldn't worry but that's assuming we're not about to have a major drip feed along the lines of yeah but she also saves all her toenail clippings in a jar and has a shit fit if her meals are served on anything other than her childhood Magic Roundabout plate^.

Original poster
Applebojangles · 22/03/2018 01:19

Haha coco. No she doesn’t do the toenail thing or have a special plate so I guess she’s ok!! 😂

OP posts:
BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 22/03/2018 01:23

I don't think you needed to be concerned earlier either OP. I know plenty of young/mid teen DCs who stuff their old cuddly toy or bit of blanket into the bottom of their bag with their pyjamas when going off on overnight school trips or sports tours - and that's boys too. Some hide it from their friends and peers, some don't.

1forAll74 · 22/03/2018 01:29

Its lovely and not odd at all to always keep an item from childhood that makes you feel safe and comfortable. I bet lots of new uni students take something lovely from home when they go away for the first time.

BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 22/03/2018 01:30

A Magic Roundabout plate, you say? Ditch the toenail clippings but I'd quite like one of those. Happy days.

Bippitybopityboo · 22/03/2018 01:33

Yabu. DH suggested I pass my shaggy (and now very disheviled) dog teddy down to our DS last week and I was absolutely outraged. I tuck him in with us every night unless DH sneeks him into the washer!

LolitaLempicka · 22/03/2018 01:38

My 18year old son tucked his teddy in his rucksack for his gap year. There was very limited space, but he obviously thought it was important 😂 I think it’s sweet.

BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 22/03/2018 01:44

The occasional, but sometimes unspeakable, torture and hostage taking of stolen said treasured comforters on school overnighters and sports tours is another matter however....

Nofunkingworriesmate · 22/03/2018 01:59

I took my special soggy doggy to uni and I'm a fine middle aged normal person now ( doggy is under my bed so my grand kids do t mess with him )

Duckies · 22/03/2018 02:02

At 35 I am only just learning to sleep without my teddy... Because I've got DD 7mo sleeping beside me and need to keep bed clear. As soon as she is in own bed, teddy is straight back in and maybe DP

UrgentScurryfunge · 22/03/2018 02:21

I'm snuggled up with mine right now. 17 was over half my lifetime ago. DS (4) loves me to "talk" my cuddlies and he chats away with them. He knows they are special and must be treated gently... more gently than he treats his!

Lots of uni and adult friends have had them in active service. They've been some of the most rounded people I've known!

Broken11Girl · 22/03/2018 02:55

I took my teddy to uni Blush it was soon relegated to the wardrobe as flatmates were constantly in and out of each other's rooms, I got used to sleeping without it quickly. It's now in my box of childhood mementoes. It's normal. I don't remember taking it to sleepovers or on trips when much younger though, Coco is right. Don't worry.

GruffaloPants · 22/03/2018 04:17

My friend is in the 40s, married with kids, and still sleeps with her blankie. She can sleep without it. Let your daughter be.

BuzzyBuzzyBea · 22/03/2018 04:58

I know people who are in their 30's and 50's and have soothers a bit like a special blanket. I think it's a calming mechanism when stressed. I'd say even if she's taking it to school/college it's just one of them things some people need.

I was that precious over a bear I had, I know others who have bears they cherished as children. Some I've seen even have their own SM.

I guess if her blankie had its own FB & IG id be a bit more worried. But even then I think it's just light hearted.