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Original poster

Opinions please! Toddlers and comforters..

26 replies

Bangonthedoor · 16/03/2014 21:00

So DD will be 2 in May so currently 22 months. She has always had Ewan the dream sheep pretty much from birth to sleep with. Always worked wonders in the early days and now she calls him by name which is cute Smile

However, DP thinks it would be a good idea to wean her off of Ewan. I'm like Shock because it's not doing her any actual harm unlike her dummy (which was gone at 16 months) and it brings her such comfort. I really don't see the reason to take him away. I have also pointed out to DP that on Ewan's label it says from 0 to adults.

Opinions please on comforters and appropriate ages Smile

OP posts:
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5madthings · 16/03/2014 21:02

My dd is 3 and has 'lamby a steiff cuddly lamb, I have no intention of weaning her off it! Why woudl I?,

Ds4 is just 6 and has his 'diddy' blanket, again why would I wean him off it, my elder children are 14, 11, and 9 and can sleep wihtout a comforter, thye grow out if it when ready!

redcaryellowcar · 16/03/2014 21:03

Keep him! We have rules on the 'comforter' like he is for bed only, now and again allowed to come to help at doctors. But only infrequently as we don't want to lose him.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 16/03/2014 21:04

Ds2 has 'home bear' which he sleeps with each night. It is not allowed out of the house - hence it's name. He also has a similar specimen called 'nursery bear' - you can probably guess where he was used!

Both have a silky edging to them that he works his fingers around as he falls asleep.

It does no harm, he likes it and so neither of us see any reason to take it away.

MyNameIsKenAdams · 16/03/2014 21:05

Dd is 2.3 and has a soft mouse. She can have it till she decides she no longer wants it as far as im concerned.

its harmless.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 16/03/2014 21:06

my boys are 7 & 10 (in a couple of weeks)
they still have their "friends" some have been comforters since birth some have been added as time has gone on.

They also snuggle with a muslin cloth every night. both have taken them on sleepovers in the last month.

there are milions of adults around the world taking sleeping tablets why on earth would we take something benign away from a child if it is helping them sleep?

HOWEVER I would scour the shops now for another ewan to have in the cupboard should you need an emergency stand in!

milkysmum · 16/03/2014 21:07

noooo dont take it away! its doibg no harm at all.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 16/03/2014 21:12

I should have said -ds2 is 5.8

nailslikeknives · 16/03/2014 21:15

Keep it! Mine both have comforters and they def do no harm! 3.5 and 1.5yrs old by the way.

IShallCallYouSquishy · 16/03/2014 21:24

My DD is 2 in May and goes to bed every night and nap time with a muslin firmly clasped in her hand. In all honestly it's never far from her in the day and will often go looking for it or if she sees it out of reach point and ask for it.

I figure she's only tiny still and it does no harm whatsoever.

Let him keep Ewan Smile

Original poster
Bangonthedoor · 17/03/2014 06:45

Thanks for all the replies! I'm glad you all agree!

I should have said that for those of you who don't know Ewan, he plays soothing music and womb sounds which DD has to have played until she's asleep. I don't think DP likes the battery usage!!

Im happy with her having Ewan I just wanted to check that it wasn't me doing the wrong thing Wink glad it's not!

OP posts:
smokeandglitter · 17/03/2014 07:10

I still have a teddy. It was my grans, it's tucked in by me every night. But I'm a big softie. Smile

I think some children need comforters longer than others. I would say by the time she starts nursery so long as she isn't taking it everywhere then it's fine. I had teddies all the way through my childhood (yes and my ones I'd had since a baby) but I grew up independent and am happily married. I would say don't take it away, it's no harm at all and in fact it is very important for children to be able to self-soothe.

smokeandglitter · 17/03/2014 07:11

Oh and I also have two cats, one in particular that thinks she's a teddy bear and sleeps with her face against mine every night. Grin she's definitely my comforter!

JazzAnnNonMouse · 17/03/2014 07:16

No reason to take it away

RobinSparkles · 17/03/2014 07:21

My DD1, who is 7 in June, still sleeps with her cat. I have no intention of taking it away from her. It's like part of the family :o.

It's not as if she takes it to school or anything but she cuddles it through the night. I suppose it's how she's used to sleeping.

I expect that she'll have it forever - unless it gets lost Shock :(. I've tried to get a replacement for it just in case but she got it when she was 6 months old and only really became attached to it when she turned 2. By then it was long discontinued.

flipchart · 17/03/2014 07:24

I would start to wean from the sound but keep Ewan.

TamerB · 17/03/2014 07:26

I can't see the slightest reason for taking it away- other than being mean!

Original poster
Bangonthedoor · 17/03/2014 07:47

Thank you again!

She doesn't take him with her wherever she goes, it's just for sleep times only which she knows.

OP posts:
flipchart · 17/03/2014 08:23

What point are you going to stop the music though or are you keeping that going indefinitely.

Personally I would wait until the battery next runs out and not put any more in. I would keep the sheep.

Original poster
Bangonthedoor · 17/03/2014 09:04

Hmm its seems so strange for DD to go to sleep in silence! But I see your point flip

The batteries are running low now...

OP posts:
fieldfare · 17/03/2014 09:30

She's only small still, let her keep it. And with the sounds. What does it matter?

My dd is 11 and still has her floppy dog (very floppy now due to the years of cuddling and sucking on the label when she was small) for bedtime. He goes on sleepovers and comes camping with us.

flipchart · 17/03/2014 09:38

field it doesn't matter at all in the wide scheme of things but we were asked our opinion.
I gently weaned mine away from comforters from the age of about18 months to about2 years.
I wanted them to learn not to rely on one particular item to sooth them.

I think I was worried if that item ( can't remember what it was now) got lost or worn out or whatever I would have a problem to contend with.

Original poster
Bangonthedoor · 17/03/2014 09:54

Yes definitely all opinions welcome Smile

OP posts:
pinkr · 17/03/2014 13:02

we love ewan... In fact he helps me get back over after middle of the night wake ups. Also sometimes just playing him helps dd go back over without a feed etc sometimes!
As for batteries... We outlawed a small amount on a universal battery charger and various sizes when we got pregnant... invaluable as so many toys need them. We never have to rush out for batteries and the costs are minimalGrin

fieldfare · 18/03/2014 06:31

Yes, flipchart, and my opinion is that it really doesn't matter.
Children are small for such a short time, why try to remove something she gains comfort from just because?

flipchart · 18/03/2014 07:11

It wasn't suggesting a removal 'just because'. I gave a reason why.

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