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

[Applebojangles]

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?

I still have my childhood bear! And yes, I still sleep with him at night. I'm 29. I can sleep without him if I have to, though.

Each to their own and all, no harm in it but I am very glad that me, DH or DD don’t have any attachments to soft toys. Seems a bit silly and yes a bit weird for adults to want to cuddle toys. Sorry.

(This is why I hate child comforters with a passion and no child of mine will ever have one at all.

My parents said the same thing. I had a blanket when I was younger that my dad tried to phase out. I just used my pocket money to buy something else, and I still have that bear today!

I don't know any small child who doesn't have some form of comfort blanket and surely a blanket/stuffed animal is preferably to something like a dummy that can cause problems with speech/teeth?

Every night I pat my elephant that I made in crafts back in 1969. DW gives her panda a kiss. The funsponges may think that's childish, but we're in professions where corpses are part of the scenery. Got to keep part of your heart young, lest all of it shrivel.

I took my teddy to Uni with me, only stopped sleeping with it once I had a human to cuddle at night.

Funnily enough I found it when sorting out the attic a few months ago, gave him a wash and he's now in DDs bed, but if I end up sleeping in with her I'll use him as a pillow.

I suffer from really bad anxiety (mainly health) and often wake up in the middle of the night with dreadful panic attacks. My teddy is next to my bed and is on hand to be tucked in with me on such occasions when I need extra comfort (and DH is snoring away oblivious!).

And I've got a small scruffy bear who is tucked in the suitcase whenever we go away on holiday. Me and DH imagine him having adventures whilst we're away.....I think we're losing it sometimes...!

PS. Forgot to say I am mid-50's by the way

I'm 28 and still have my ratty blankie which is falling apart! I have to sleep with it every night and it definitely helps when struggling with anxiety and stress. My daughter 8 months has now got one as she kept trying to steal mine

I’m 34, married with two children, professional job and I still need my blanket to sleep every night.

I thought I was in the minority but from reading this thread I guess I’m more normal than I thought I was

42 here and sometimes sleep with a cuddly toy!

DH had poochie in bed with him until we were married. Still part of the family but DD (4) has now adopted him.

Got to keep part of your heart young, lest all of it shrivel

Disgrace that made my eyes fill with tears. It's so lovely. And, I think, very true.

OP I think you've been told YABU but that's only a good thing. Your DD will be fine at uni with her blankie

My DD (15) still has a muslin square that she sleeps with every night. It's called Muzzie and it's more hole than muslin now

I'm almost 47, I still have one. I can sleep without it but I do sleep better with it. Used to drive my ex DH mad, me turning the bed upside down when I couldn't find it lol. When my DS wants to cheer me up he always goes and finds it for me.

Bit mine is a muslim square too. I had a pillow case when I was a kid but it got washed so often that it gradually fell apart, so when I had DS I got an extra muslim just for me....we call it my "rag"

If it's any consolation, I stopped sucking my thumb aged 21.I did it to get to sleep at night, then I turned to cannabis to replace my childish comforter.

Do do the stuff now at 25, I use exercise to sleep better. But it's not doing her or anybody else harm.

Don't do the stuff I meant

36 and I suck my thumb to sleep and I cuddle a teddy.

Don't take it away!
I had my blanket up until a similar age and even nowadays I can't sleep nowadays on a plain pillow/ smooth surface- have to have some sort of blanket or even just the corner of the duvet scrunched up on the pillow to make it uneven!
It's just a comfort thing, part of her routine as to how she gets herself to sleep. Any small comforts in this world should be treasured- and it doesn't hurt anyone.

Happymummy12345.
I think you will find that any future DC will find their own comforter, be it a pillow or bedspread or stick, even if you try to keep them away from them! Such 'transitional objects' play an important role in children coming to terms with reality and their own place and power in the world and a responsive parent will usually naturally and spontaneously facilitate that.

My DS is in his second term at uni and took his “comf” (a square of some silk pyjamas I cut up for him to hold when he sleeps). He hasn’t reported any issues...

my husband still sleeps with his toy pig. He's 45. I hate the disgusting thing. It stays on his side...

My DS is 20 & his childhood comforter, a very tatty muslin square, is still kept in his bed.

I sucked my thumb till uni (didn't do my teeth much good tho :( blankie would b better!) I forced myself stopped at uni as was sharing a room n too embarrassed!

We both have stuffed toys and sleep separately with them. I have the 'Teddies are better than men because' Tea-Towel.

I slept with my teddy bear till I was 21

My friend (27) still has "Nappy" which is a completely disintegrated terry square .