Did you catch Barney today? Probably not… but I did so I’ll fill you in. Baby Bop lost her blankie, prompting much song and dance. Which got me to thinking… how old is too old for a blankie? Actually, this blog was inspired by my oldest daughter who is 8 and still has a blankie. I suppose it doesn’t sound like a big deal if I just put it that way, I mean, it’s not like she carries it everywhere with her anymore… it was actually pretty easy to get her to stop bringing it places with us, thank goodness. But when we’re at home, it’s a different story. It IS carried everywhere around the house. And if, help us all, we should have misplaced the blankie somewhere during the day and she doesn’t have it to sleep with at night – let’s just say the ENTIRE family suffers until it is found… So… how old is too old for a blankie? Worse yet, our 3 1/2 year old is now figuring out what a wonderful power trip she can take if she holds blankie hostage, causing ever-growing conflict. Soon the 1 1/2 year old will be in on it too, probably just because she’ll decide there has to be something awfully special about that blankie based on the way her sisters are acting, but still, we don’t need any more conflict! I think I will surf the net and get some feedback about this subject… Dr. Phil once had a college-age guest on his show who still had her blankie. It was nothing but a tattered piece of material, and I remember him joking, “Does it keep you warm?” Hehe. I remember in the movie Mr. Mom, the dad decides the kid is too old to have a “whoopie”. I think they burn it or something cruel like that… I would never do that, but I do worry that some day if I get frustrated enough, the blankie might meet some sort of tragic demise… So, is 8 too old for a blankie? She still sucks her thumb too, but that will be another blog all together!
I suppose that is up to the kid. Someday, it may become only a string. I have a cousin who carried her blankie around, sucking her thumb until she was like 10-12 (still at times a cause for harmless razzing). Joshua had his special blankie (never knew a boy to have one… unless you are Linus)… not sure if he has it still. He would not go ANYWHERE without it. He is now in the 5th grade so one would think he has outgrown taking it everywhere.
I have a 12 year old who is still attached to her blankie so I can feel your pain. I am hoping the teen years will knock some sense into her. A teen getting some sense, yeah right!
LOL! Teen years might knock some sense into her as far as the blankie goes – or the peer pressure from friends will – but then you might be wishing you still had THAT problem instead of whatever the teen years will bring!
As far as my blankie dependent, thumb-sucking 8 year old, sometimes we do call her Linus!