Why do children cling to their lovest toy (and what to do when they lose them)

 

Your child’s lovest toy likes an animal toy or blanket is lost at home and panicked. What should you do?

Replace it with something else? Stay with the kids until they fall asleep? Run to the store to find the exact duplicate? Dealing with this situation, especially when you are depressed, can make you feel a little lost

The lovest toy a child relies on most may be an extremely important part of childhood. In children’s developmental language, such toys, fillings, and blankets are called “transitional objects”. Attachment usually develops between the ages of 4 and 12 months, and dependence on them usually peaks in the second year of life. And then gradually decreases, although attachment can last for several years.

The word “transitional” is used because lovers provide comfort during change and transition: new environment, terrible moments, disruption to routines, especially minor daily transitions, such as starting a daily bedtime routine.

Between 7 and 12 months, the baby experiences the process of separation. It is a huge cognitive milestone for the baby to realize that he is different from his mother. It can lead to separation, anxiety, crying, unexpected emotions, and intimacy with loved ones.

What if your child loses the love

Of course, this sense of attachment also brings challenges. Maybe you are away from home, your routine work is over, just at bedtime And the love of your child is nowhere to be found. Sometimes it’s in the laundry, or it’s lost. Many children form deep and meaningful emotional ties with stuffed animals and blankets (sometimes even with seemingly random toys or other objects). The experience of loss or dislocation can make you feel uneasy and depressed.

It’s worthwhile to have a copy as a backup, but it doesn’t have to be a copy. On the one hand, even young babies are sometimes smart enough to distinguish between the primitive and the substitute. On the other hand, it’s important to be honest with your children, especially when you lose them. Telling them “we don’t know where your blanket is, but we’ll keep looking” and offering other options may not temporarily reassure a crying child, but it shows that you care and their loss is important to you.

Try your best to lose a loved one. This is an early lesson in dealing with loss and sadness. Explain that you understand why they are so upset and verify their feelings. Try to offer something else that might replace it – at least temporarily: a song, another plush toy, or a long hug. Finally, there may be no real replacement for lost items, and sitting with them through their grief is the only and best solution