Lovey Lessons
Does your little tot carry around a blanket, a stuffed animal or is he still constantly connected to his binky, or pacifier?
This is all very common behavior, devotion and dependency on an object for comfort. These objects are commonly known as a lovey. These objects of comfort provide a calm reminder when you, the parent step away and the child experiences some anxiety. They lovey is familiar, providing smells of home or reminders of you.
Loveys are more common for toddlers and younger children but sometimes a baby will become connected to an object before their first birthday. Security items can include pacifiers and a thumb, a blanket or cloth diaper. You may notice that this object never leaves their hand or their sight. Sucking has a calming affect of babies reminding them of feeding times when they were close to the parent or caregiver. Soft blankets are soothing to the touch as well.
Parents often worry that their child will never give up their lovey and often joke that he or she will walk down the aisle dragging their nicknamed blanket or go off to college still sleeping with a pacifier or sucking their thumb but you shouldn’t worry too long. Children will give up their objects in time and there isn’t any harm in sleeping with a certain blanket or stuffed animal into their teen years. We all have favorite sheets or pillows, so do children, the comfort and familiarity are the same.
Thumb sucking can harm tooth development and lead to the need for braces and orthodontic devices, if you are worried about your child sucking their thumb too long, speak with your child’s dentist and pediatrician for ways to help them wean off.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Tony has a baby blanket that was knitted by my old boss, and he’s slept with it since he was born. When he goes down for a nap, he stands up in the crib and rubs EVERYTHING with that blanket. Crib soother? Needs the rub. Crib rail? A little blanket rub. Cheek? Much blankie rubbing.
We try and keep the blankie in the crib, but it’s awfully cute. To me.