How and Why Furry Friends Are Comforting To Children?
It’s the age old question that has crossed the minds of many parents. Why can’t children bear (pun intended) to let go of their beloved furry friends? The truth is that it has a lot to do about how they serve as a comfort to children. Because it is important for them to feel safe at all times, furry friends play a bigger role than you might imagine. Today, we’ll look at how furry friends affect children of various ages, as well as point to where you can look for a new furry friend that will help your child cope better with the stressors related to exploring the world around them.
How Furry Friends Comfort Children
In order to understand how furry friends comfort children, we need to look more closely at the psychology behind their attachment to the toys. Furry friends act as transitional objects for children, meaning that they are a buffer against separation anxiety related to a child coping with and spending time away from their primary caregiver. (https://www.newportworldresorts.com/) In early childhood development, and especially when they first go to school and leave the comfort of having everything done for them during their day, children often struggle with the stress related to being alone for the first time. Furry friends provide reassurance in the form of an object that reminds them of home, is always there for a comforting cuddling, and reminds them that they belong in the world.
Why Comfort Objects Are Important
Furry friends and other transitional objects are important because they are essentially comfort objects helping to increase the sense of security a child feels as they move from one life stage to the next. These toys can also help with how they cope with big changes related to moving to a new city, a new house, or even just starting a new adventure that requires them to get out of their comfort zones. Furry friends are also an important tool to encourage creative play, as well as providing a social benefit too. This is especially true if they have names and an identity within the greater family unit (as with most of the furry friends from Build-A-Bear).
The Appropriate Age For Furry Friends
Knowing when to give your child their first furry friend depends largely on their age. Before they are twelve months old, it is not a good idea to let your child sleep with any soft objects, as this might increase the risk of SIDS or suffocation. At two years old, small furry friends are fine, but be careful not to give your child too many, as they might stack them up in the crib in order to try to get out late at night. Keep it simple when you’re first starting to introduce furry friends into your child’s life. If you wait until they are a little older, they can help to choose their own new furry friends, which also creates a bonding experience between parent and child.
Creating Lifelong Memories
The Build-A-Bear team revels in the fact that we are able to provide furry friends to children at various stages of their development, which is why we have worked hard to offer a range of furry friends to cater to a variety of needs. We’ve got you covered the next time you’re on the market for a new furry friend! Soon after, you’ll be making new lifelong memories with your child, who will have many incredible stories to share about their adventures with their furry companion later on in life.