We missed this special day, but October 8th was "Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day".  The idea of adults bringing their old stuffed animals to work seems a little silly.  What is this all about? Its organizer says it was "a celebration and observation of the help, stress relief and joy that teddy bears bring into the lives of people of all ages and at all stages. In honor of this day, we celebrate the place of teddy bears, blankets, and other transitional objects, comfort objects, and loveys that children take with them as they go out into the world.  If adults could benefit from the comfort their old bears give, then children certainly can benefit from them."

"Almost everyone knows about the Charles Schulz character Linus and his blanket. He drags it around wherever he goes, nibbling on its corner or curling up with it when the going gets tough. Security objects such as blankets are part of the emotional support system every child needs in his early years." ("The Transition Object," Healthychildren.org)

Loveys come in all shapes and sizes from bears to mom's bathrobe to blankets (even full sized ones).  The formal name for these soft toys and objects (and they can be almost anything) is transitional objects. Often children as young as eight months choose something that must go everywhere the child goes. They will be together for many years.  They are transitional objects because they help children transition from their parents' arms to greater independence in the world. Independence, even if it only means walking a few feet away, means separation and that can cause anxiety.    

Comfort objects are an important  bridge between home and the world. They are a magic cape of invincibility that remind children of the warmth and protection of their parents' loving arms.  They comfort children when they are tired, upset, afraid, or feeling the separation from their loved ones. 

A lovey is not a sign that a child is insecure.  About 60% of children have one ("The Transition Object", Changingminds.org).  They are actually a sign that a child has a plan for being able to separate from his or her loved ones and start exploring the world.  Many parents will say that the day their child started to walk is the day that they adopted their lovey. What an amazing strength children show by choosing to have something that they can use to comfort themselves.  

What to do about transitional objects? Allow them - If a child has a comfort object, then she or he needs to be able to bring it to child care.  Yes, they get dirty and sometimes lost in a cabinet or in the compartment of a riding toy.  However, a child care program that welcomes them says that the program values children's  emotional development and respects their choices.

And remember that there is no need to worry.  By about 4 or 5, most children leave their special friend at home, and no one marches into graduation holding their blanket.

So, let's remember the things that gave us comfort when we were very young and the resilience of young children who figure out how to begin their journey into that world.  Let's support their need for their comfort objects in all their shapes and sizes.