"I WANT TEDDY!!!!!!"
I'm not sure my oldest daughter could fall asleep without her puppies. Both Soft Puppy and Ouchy Puppy must be present at bedtime. I have a friend who keeps a pacifier – or "papi" – in her pocket, her car and a couple in her purse. This is in addition to the two (one for each hand) that her child has on him at all times. Then there are my niece and nephew who never leave the house without a Thomas Train, Barbie or some Disney character in tow.
It wasn't until I recently attended a parenting class at the Elizabeth Blackwell Center that I learned that all of these quirky attachments are not only common, but also a very important tool in the emotional development of children. Also known as comfort objects or "loveys", these transitional objects provide comfort and a sense of security that helps children soothe themselves and cope with many everyday feelings and experiences.
Yvonne Gustafson, PhD and Parent Educator at the Elizabeth Blackwell Center explains, "A transitional object is anything that a child will use to support moving from one emotional demand to another. They represent the emotional support necessary for a child to move on to the next challenge."
While the experts agree that these are good and healthy habits for children, many parents shudder at the vision of their child heading off to school with "woobie" in hand. For most children, the need for a comfort object will subside with time as they learn to find other ways to self-soothe or as a result of peer pressure.
Gustafson agrees that transitional objects are fine as long as they are not interfering with the next developmental demand. For example, a child who is trying to speak by moving the pacifier around rather than taking it out of his mouth will not have strong articulation or clarity of speech. In this case, it is important for parents to do some creative problem solving and perhaps limit pacifier use to bed time or in the car.
The important thing is that your child feels secure as he or she faces the many challenges and learning opportunities of each day. So do what you must to make sure those puppies, papis, blankies and toys are always there when needed.
The following websites contain information related to the health and emotional well-being of children: