children's comforters

I remember my brother had a 'corner' of a blanket which he rolled/rubbed on the palm of his hand to relax/sleep. I'm sure he was at least 5 before he gave it up.

My DSs and DGC do not appear to have anything similar, nor ever have. However 3 of my DGC constantly have their fingers in their mouths. Delayed 'oral' stage of development? Are they past relief now?

Well I was child number 2, and when I am very tired or stressed still can be. I always ' twiddled' , buttons on cardigans, soft hems etc. My children both had dummies for a short time but no blankets. I suppose when very young you find your own comforter.
My DGS has an ancient Jellycat. She is 10 now.

My daughter has a 'num' - a piece of flanlette sheet . She still uses it - I found it under her pillow when I was making her bed when she was in hospital having her 4rth baby last year - she's 39 this month !

Daughter had a teddy, which got stollen by a dog on Bantham beach in Devon.

Son had the satin edge to his pram blanket

Number one had a muslin square
Number two had a panda wrapped in a cot sheet
Number 3 had the satin edge of her pram blanket which she still has under her pillow - shes almost 42!
Number 4 had a cot eiderdown - still has it.
Number 5 had nothing.

Number two daughter had her special pillow case that we even had to put on her pillow when we went away.

No one son had his thumb - like his mum had for a good few years!

D had "whiskers" a slightly indeterminate soft toy which we called a mouse.
S had "Dino" a soft toy dinosaur made of shiny satin type material which was lime green in colour !

As a child I had my teddy and my thumb. Teddy still sits close to my bed. I think having an attachment to a comforter is to be encouraged and is preferable to the modern style of parenting where babies are rocked to sleep or need a parent in their room until they go to sleep. DS1 and DDiL hardly spend any together time in the evenings. When the new grandbaby arrives I shall
interfere advise them to give her a teddy to cuddle, a soft night light, a bit of gentle music and let her go to sleep by herself. There was a piece about babies sleeping on the radio this week and this seemed to be the best advice. I think parents staying the room are doing it for their own needs not for the child. (Can of worms opening?)

A bit confusing there, sorry. The new baby is coming to DS2 and DGF, and will be their first.

DS1 had a very manky teddy bear which became so 'bare' that I had to knit him a new body. DS2 had a blue cellular blanket which had to go to hospital with him when he was 2. As he went in to theatre, Sister handed me the squalid object and asked me to wash it while he was 'out'. It wasn't easy getting it dry on the radiator in my room. DDG2 still has a tired-looking dog that goes to bed with her even at the age of 14; her cousin, aged 11 has a big dog and his younger brother has 'puppy'. These things even go to cub and scout camps with them.

Only one of my DDs had a comforter. Unfortunately it was the hem of her vest, which therefore was always protruding from her clothing and filthy! At the same time she sucked her first two fingers on the other hand.

DGD1 is now five and a half. When she was born a floral display was sent to her mum. That came with a teddy with a ribbon round his neck. For as long as we can remember that teddy has become DGD1's beloved Ted. He goes everywhere with her, calms her when upset and is never far from her side. He goes to school in her bag, ready to comfort if needs be. Knowing how traumatic it would be if Ted was lost, her mum was able to source another one online. Now if Ted gets wet or needs a wash there is Magic Ted who lives in the airing cupboard ready to take over. DGD1 is totally oblivious to the duplicity!

This is a lovely thread. When I was a child I didn't have a comforter in fact my mum told me that before going to sleep I threw all my soft toys out of the cot. My eldest child didn't have one either, but my middle son had a small pillow called Peeoh and my youngest had a piece of striped sheet called ahhhh.

I get overwhelmed with nostalgia when I see small children with what is obviously their special soft toy or blanket. Number 1 son became very attached to a cot duvet cover which became quite ragged over a period of time, we still have somewhere in the house he always had that plus thumb in the mouth when he was tired. Son number 2 another thumb sucker had a muslin, which we called his bye byes, but others we knew referred to it as a noo noo. Granddaughter had a floppy bunny who lost his arms in the wash and was replaced by another floppy bunny plus a special blanket and thumb. Grandson aged 2 has a dummy, only when tired, which is called a dodo and he also has a blanket. I even remember being little sucking on knuckle first finger of right hand with a piece of material from my dress wrapped around thumb of left hand (how strange) I don't do it anymore though, I'm glad to say.

Both mine adopted "blankets", pieces of well worn flannelette sheeting. DS sucked his thumb and DD two fingers.
I had made a bag for the duplo lego out of the same material and for some reason the blankets came to be called their "lego bags".
Every so often we would get one child walking into our room in the middle of the night with the words "I can't find my lego bag" so the "lego bag" was duly found and child tucked back into bed. They were both very attached to these blankets. They were about 10 before they decided they did not need them any more. DS had a Teddy and a felt duckling made by my mum.
I put these two toys on the bed when he and his now partner slept in when they first stayed over.
I had a much loved teddy bear. I finally threw out about two years ago. It was a post war straw stuffed object.

My children didn't have anything special but my oldest grandson had a blanket with a satin edge that he liked to rub.I repaired it many a time for him.My youngest grandsons comfort was his mom's long hair -he would sit and twirl or stroke it for ages.

Eldest DGD has just started school ( @ 4 yrs and 1 week old - barbaric). She is surgically attached to her rabbit. Up til half term the teacher said OK - then just before half term we said she (yup the rabbit is apparently female) had to stay at home - bribery turned out to be the solution to avoid total meltdown. Now so far no real problems - but its a fragile situation!!!!!! She is just so tiny - DGD I mean.

"Daddies Ted" came into his own for my son. I still have him and was much loved by both DH and DS. His tummy split (Teddy not DS!) so I stitched it up and knitted him a little red woolly trouser suit. DIL refused to have him anywhere near the children but he is still tucked up in my scarf drawer and much treasured.
Mu Mum threw my venerable old Tibby away - he was a mid size Chad Valley bear and I often see identical bears on Flog it etc and it always brings a lump to my throat.

None of the family have had comforters, not something I would have encouraged in DC, they settled themselves.

My elder daughter had a dummies and gave it up when she was about 3. My younger daughter had a satin cot quilt with a frill which she rubbed between her fingers. She is almost 46 and still has a ragged piece of frill which is used occasionally.

No 1 son: a yellow fluffy squirrel called Cyril until he was 2 and a half when Cyril was lost on a shopping trip and never mentioned again!

No 2 son: a pale blue fluffy elephant called Ellie which he has passed on to his daughter, although she is now nearly 7 and no longer uses Ellie as a comforter.

Me: a classic brown teddy which my children played with and then the grandchildren played with. Teddy is now 70!

My daughter became totally soporific with the feel of wet hair! If she was restless we just had to wet a strand or two and she would fiddle with it and be asleep in no time. We had some bemused expressions from babysitters when we explained what to do if she woke up!

My DD had her fingers,first and middle, which she gave up when she was 4 ... much easier than I'd thought it would be as my sister sucked her thumb for years!

DGD has a dummy for sleeping times only (bed and car) but apparently the Christmas elves will be taking them all away to give to all the new wee babies as she'll soon be a big girl 3. She is also quite attached to a fluffy cat, but that's a recent thing.

This brings back such memories. My DS had a toy puppet raccoon called Razzle which ended up as just a head with threads. My DD had a satin edged blanket which she still has to this day. It's mostly just threads but I sewed a bit into her wedding dress, as we had always said that she would never give up 'Blanky' even when she got married!