To think DD shouldn’t take her blankie to Brownies?

[Rainallnight]

DD has just joined Brownies. One of the youngest. She’s still very attached to her blankie (blanket for comfort).

They've been asked to bring something that’s special to them this evening as part of a ‘getting to know you’ activity.

DD wants to bring her blankie.

I genuinely don’t know what to do for the best. On one hand, I don’t want to shame her, want her to feel free to make this decision etc. On the other, I’m worried other kids will judge her and it’ll stick.

Need to pack it before we all go off to school/work. Help!

Is she likely to shrug it off if the others kids are unkind or laugh? If not, I’d be worried too and would definitely try and encourage her to take something else

I think given that it’s for that particular activity and discussion it’s fine, as long as she’s not tearfully clinging to it all evening or whatever. She’ll not be the only one with eg a special teddy. I’d be more worried about it getting lost.

All that said, she might have more to say and they might get to know her better if she brought something connected to a hobby or an interest.

How old is she? Will she care of other children laugh?
It depends how she frames it too, eg this is a special blanket I've had since I was born Vs this is my blankie I can't sleep without it. It's also not a very interesting thing to talk about, what can she say other than the above?

I think you’ll be surprised and lots of kids will have similar. I think she’ll be fine to choose to bring it. It’s good she feels confident and unashamed of something that brings her comfort.

Little girls of 7/8 will be taking teddies squishy things, dolls let her take her blanket,she could maybe take a back up but her blanket is fine.

Has she got a teddy too? My ds had a blankie and a toy dinosaur and when he felt he was too old to be public about the blankie but still needed it it became the dinosaur's duvet!

My concern about the blankie is that it could get lost at Brownies. I learnt the hard way as a child to only take things out of the home that are either replaceable or wouldn’t be devastating if lost.

Brownies is from age 7 - 10 isn't it? While it sounds lovely, she doesn't want the other kids to always remember her being the girl who took a baby blanket to show and tell. I'd try to talk her out of that sweet idea sadly. Kids can be cruel.

Lots of them will take teddies etc

Thanks so much for all the advice. Really appreciate the input.

@Axahooxa Yeah, she’s very much herself and I was sort of pleased she didn’t seem to think about what others thought. But I was worried!

@CurlewKate I love that idea.

Right, I left it to her decision but reminded her of all the things she has on her ‘special shelf’ (shelf with special things on it, if that wasn’t clear 😂).

She chose a framed photo of her with DP when she was a baby. So no blankie.

This brings up its own issues because we’re a two mum family, and they all met me at an intro evening so this makes clear to all the other girls that she has two mums. She’s very blasé about this, though, so I think she’ll be fine with it (fingers crossed. Nothing is ever simple 😂)

DS2 is 7 and I don’t think it was cross his radar as something to comment on or think about. DS1 (10) would be more aware but would probably think it was ‘sweet’ for a ‘little girl’.

Let her take it

Your daughter sounds wonderfully confident!

Our cub camp list always has "special teddy" on it and my 9yo DS is definitely not the only one taking a smelly rag of a teddy that is very loved.

It's not a problem, is there much she can say about it though?