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Is your child getting too old for stuffed animals?

May 23, 2012 by GreatDad Writers 1 Comment

Throughout your child's baby and toddler years, he or she may have carried around a favorite stuffed animal at all times – on the way to preschool, out at a family dinner, playing in the yard and snuggled securely before bed. As a father, it's nice to see your child exercising his or her imagination and developing a strong emotional bond with a stuffed bear, dog or kitten.

However, that connection can become something of a social burden as your child grows older – around age seven or eight. You don't want to force your little one to mature too soon, but you also don't want him or her clinging to the past forever.

In your attempts to distance your child from his or her cuddly friend, it's important to proceed delicately. Instead of simply declaring your little one too old for stuffed animals one day, consider gradually finding ways to get your kid to venture off without the toy. For instance, suggest leaving it behind for outings to the store or a restaurant, but allow the toy to tag along to the park or playing in the backyard.

As an object that your child sees as not only a friend, but a representation of comfort and security, you may want to allow your son or daughter to make the final call on when he or she is "too old" to be playing with stuffed animals. By establishing these intermittent times of separation, you'll have an easier time guiding your child to make the final decision to leave the stuffed animal behind permanently.

Filed Under: Dad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stacey says

    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I agree. The separation needs to be gentle. My girls had unusual lovies! Don’t tell them I told you! “A” had a clump of toddler socks she referred to as GOCKIES and “M” still has FRINGY (a knit square with fringes on all 4 edges, now worn and tattered beyond recognition). My girls were so attached to their lovies that I recently launched DreamMeUp which creates personalized books starring a child’s very own lovey! DreamMeUp celebrates and animates the special bond between a child and her lovey…preserving a little piece of childhood! So when it is time to distance your child from his or her cuddly friend, our books might just help your child make the separation. Enjoy!

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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