Is having a blankie normal?
Sarah Garza
Updated on April 27, 2026
It may seem like sleeping with a stuffed animal or baby blanket is embarrassing after childhood, but it's not: "It's completely normal," says Bash.
Why do some people have a blankie?
Essentialism is one of the reasons some of us hang on to those childhood toys or objects — they hold an emotional value to us that is hard to put into words and go way beyond the physical nature of the object itself. A kind of magic, if you will, that sets your blankie above the rest.Why do I still sleep with a blankie?
“It's totally normal to hold onto relics from our childhood,” says Lindsey Cooper, an associate marriage and family therapist. “We create bonds with these comfort objects, so of course, we want to keep them. Especially in times of change or challenges, we lean towards those things that make us feel good….Is it normal to have a comfort object?
Passman's research also points out that there is nothing abnormal about being attached to them. In the United States, about 60% of children have at least some attachment to a security object. A bedtime toy is often used by children while going to sleep.What age should you stop sleeping with a blankie?
When can your baby sleep with a blanket? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping soft objects and loose bedding out of the sleeping area for at least the first 12 months. This recommendation is based on data around infant sleep deaths and guidelines for reducing the risk of SIDS.Sleeping with your baby blanket since you were little check | Tiktok Compilation
Why am I so attached to my blanket?
Developmental psychologists refer to them as attachment or transition objects, Margaret S. Clark, a professor of psychology at Yale University, explained to me, because they can provide comfort and reassurance to children transitioning from greater to lesser dependence on primary caretakers.Should you take away a security blanket?
Adults don't need to take away security objects on a set schedule. They simply need to help children know when and where it is okay to comfort themselves with these objects.Is it weird for a teenager to have a teddy bear?
Not only is it considered normal for teens to sleep with a stuffed animal, there are even benefits to sleeping with a teddy bear at 16 or so.Why am I so emotionally attached to my stuffed animal?
Stuffed toys and objects possess this feature; It is sort of a physical trait and has the potential to make you feel for it, as though it wishes to be taken care of or fed, in simple terms a mother-child kind of affection.Are plushies good for mental health?
Stuffed Animals Improve Mental HealthAccording to one study, stuffed animals helped patients with disorganized attachment styles form secure attachments and even rebuild impaired attachment bonds. Being able to build secure emotional attachments can help people live richer, happier lives.
Is it OK for adults to sleep with stuffed animals?
It is not unusual for your attachment to soft toys as a sleep aid to persist into adulthood. A survey carried out last year found that 44% of adults have held on to their childhood teddies and dolls, and as many as 34% of adults still sleep with a soft toy every night.Why do some kids have security blankets?
Why do children need security blankets? Children need security blankets to feel safe, secure, and to feel comfortable especially when the parents are not around. But there are more benefits to having one. A security blanket or a plushie toy can be introduced as early as 3 months old.Why are blankets addictive?
The reason we continue to use blankets as adults is part habit, part conditioning. While you may not be aware of the psychological power blankets have over you, it's likely that the soft embrace of your favorite blanket triggers feelings of safety and lulls your brain to sleep, simply by association.When should you get rid of a lovey?
BabyCenter explains that a child's need for a lovey will peak between 18 to 24 months, and then start to fade away. According to Parents.com, a child will generally stop needing a lovey when they're between 3 to 5 years of age, or when they start to notice other children don't have one.Why do I sniff my baby blanket?
Deemed 'transitional objects' by British psychologist Donald Winnicott, they help graduate children from dependence on (usually) their mothers, to a pseudo-independent state wherein they glean comfort and quell feelings of fright or anxiety with the help of an inanimate object.How do you get rid of a lovey?
Take baby steps.Have him take it with him for a week and leave it in his cubby for most of the day. Then, when he sees he can cope without it, suggest he try leaving the blanket at home. It also helps if you point out the risk of losing the lovey if your child takes it outside, Dr. Kalpidou says.