She's obsessed.
It must be with her at all times and in all places - unless she's doing something fun enough to make her forget about it.
I've tried to designate it as a bedtime-only companion, but that results in a tantrum. Or worse - she wanders around the house searching, calling out, "BANKET, WEH AWE YOU? WEH AWE YOU BANKET?" over and over, on the verge of tears. It's heartbreaking. And not worth the battle. So I let her have it. I manage to steal it away to be washed a couple times a week - just washed, not dried. Before the washing cycle ends she's usually already discovered the absence and begun her desperate search-and-rescue mission.
I've read that it's healthy for children to have a "security object" - aka Transitional object. It provides them with "sensory satisfaction" (as most children chose an object that is silky or soft - Brianna's blanket is both). It's called a transitional object because toddlers are making the transition from complete dependence to independence. They don't need their mothers to constantly hold and soothe them - it can be done solo... with the help of a blanket/teddy/dolly/binky/thumbsuck. It represents a tangible, 24/7 accessible version of mommy's love. Attachment to a security object is usually the first indication that a child understands symbols, an important milestone in emotional development.
Thank you, parenting.com
So here is Brianna earlier this afternoon (via blurry cell pic), enjoying two of her very favorite activities: swinging at the park, and holding her blanket:
4 comments:
I think it's sweet. Kate has one too and she's 3 1/2. She still likes to rub it against her nose while doing this funny, sort of strange sucking thing with her tongue, especially when she's sleepy. I appreciate what you posted from parenting.com too.
i still sleep with my baby blanket. every night. in fact, i brought it to the hospital when i had a baby, which is sort of pathetic, but it really is still comforting to me.
That pictures is darling...even though it's fuzzy (maybe I'm just getting used to my own fuzzy pictures!). Brianna and Jacob are twins on this....except he will allow me to dry the blanket for him, but it is the first thing I had to him when the cycle is complete. Some days I really, really try to get him to leave the blanket home - imagine trailing that thing through the streets, subways, and such in NYC....gross! I wish his object of affection were just a tad smaller on such days!
So cute! Ya, it's pretty normal! At least it's a blanket! My sister's kids have "sniffy's" (so called because they "sniff" them) A sniffy appparently is an old pair of my sisters pajamas . . . so they carry around pajama shirts!
Oh, and one of my other nieces had boxers. Serious. Silky Mickey Mouse men's boxers!!
A blanky isn't so bad! :)
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