To want to buy a Merrythought bear for my son

[Dogdogcat]

I think I am. I had one when I was a baby and he was my best friend when I was a child. I slept with him until I was a teenager and brought him on every trip we went on as a family. (Even now, I am referring to this bear as him.) They are crazy expensive and I'm not sure how I can justify the cost. I live in Canada and they don't even sell them here so I would have to order it and have it shipped from the UK. I could get him something else, but I am so sentimental about my own bear and I want the same experience my son. Tell me IABU.

I've got a limited edition 2015 Steiff one shoved in my loft !!! ... I love my DP dearly but he bought it for me and then was dim enough to tell me he previously bought them for his ex !!! .. poor soul is now shoved back in his box while my beloved old hard jointed bear I've had for 53 years is sitting on my bed !!! ... if anyone wants to give him a loving home and can assure me he will have a child owner and not be binned on eBay you can have him !!!!

Merrythought toys and bears are lovely. Very cuddly. Yes get one !

@Gingernut83

I must admit we have a spare Mr as well in case he wears out or gets lost...

Just a word of caution here. My DS has a firm favourite soft toy.
When we realised just how attached he was to it, we bought stacks of spares (fortunately it was an inexpensive toy).

We successfully introduced 4 copies in rotation as toy no. 1 was washed, mislaid etc.

And then we had the Dark Day when all 5 toys were dirty / hidden around the house at bedtime. I pulled out new copy toy no. 6 and.... “That’s not my cuddly. That’s too fluffy. Where’s my cuddly?” He was no longer willing to accept new versions of his favourite toy. Only the tatty old worn ones would do. And as he won’t sleep without this toy, that’s a bit of an inconvenience to say the least.

So. I’d start trying to make sure your spare doesn’t look too shiny and new just in case you need to present it to a suspicious small child who only wants the original....

I wouldn't fork out. You have no idea if he will actually be interested in it or not. You can want him to like it all you want, if he has no interest then there's no interest.

Anyway, I thought it was child code that the more money your parents spend on something, the more you will prefer cheap tat!

BTW - If anyone has a Milo Monkey who needs a new home, I'd be interested in buying him!

I have a merrythought bear that I love.

You know what, I would do it. These childhood days will pass quickly.

Thanks for the thoughts. I really want to do this, but I can't really afford it right now. My parents give him money for Christmas, so maybe I'll ask them if they want to contribute to a bear instead and we can buy it together. I think they might like the idea.

Don’t do it if you can’t afford it.

Agree with checking eBay. Or asking if someone is coming over to save on shipping.

To previous posters though they are stunning quality. Absolutely nothing like build a bear or jelly cat. DS cuddles his every night and it’s still perfect

Would it upset you if you bought it and he wasn’t fussed by it?

@boohome

Yeah I’ve been thinking the same actually- luckily he’s not terribly attached to it he doesn’t mind it being washed he just says oh he’s having a shower 😂

My parents bought my brother a merrythought bear when he was about 8, and he loved it and still has it now (he's late 30s), however, they aren't massively cuddly. My little boy has one of the softer Steiff bears and it is his absolute favourite. It's a lovely idea OP, but I guess you can just never tell with children which way it's going to go!

All these unloved teddies are making me sad!

I really wouldnt. Especially as its a stretch. Find a nice normal priced one!

I've saved all my cabbage patch kids for my future children. No other type of dolls will be permitted in the house.

I agree that you can't determine what they love. My DD didn't love a teddy, but a fleece mothercare blanket. She is 15 now and she is currently asleep under it.

Jellycat cuddly tots are so cute and extremely soft, and made to be carried around everywhere. I'd get one of them instead.

Toys not tots! Bears etc.

When my two were babies I designed and crocheted them some bunnies. And for their first and second birthday I crocheted them some other toys (look up the Lalylala designs, there gorgeous) - they have always liked playing with the bunnies but one has become particularly attached now at nearly 3. They aren’t fussed out the others. They wouldn’t even look twice at a regular soft toy / teddy bear, despite my best efforts - I think they like the bunnies because they’re firmly packed out and made of cotton they can chew on. Their poor legs and arms have seen better days!

I really want to get them Cuddle & Kind dolls but for two it’s quite pricey and I bet they would ignore them anyway!

there are always lots of merrythought toys on ebay, some green hippos etc. they are fab toys, a good british brand too

Ahh shit, that’s stupid money for a soft toy. I know you were attached to yours but it doesn’t mean your DC will be to theirs, it could just wind up being a ginormous waste of money.

My DC have never had a sentimental attachment to any soft toy, they just go through phases of liking different ones.