lovey restrictions?

Jack and Lily are 13 months old and they have been using the Baby Gund Comfy Cozy blanket/animal head things as loveys.

Jack is crazy attached to his little froggie gund guy - he even brings him when we go outside. There he is walking down the sidewalk dragging his little guy through all of the dirt and ant hills.

Do you let yours bring their loveys EVERYWHERE?

I remember reading that loveys are a big think for them because they are the first things that the babies actually have control over.

 

Ours are only allowed in the house, so not in the car or outside or brought anywhere else. And ds is VERY attached to his, when we leave he now knows to put his bunny down so he can take a nap

 

For us, loveys are an inside thing. Actually, all of their non-plastic toys are inside only. I set up a nice basket by the door with a blanket in the bottom so that if either of my girls is carrying around a lovey or a doll, they can set their "baby" in the basket for the baby to sleep until we come back. So far it's working...

 

We've started putting restrictions on Ana's hankies (they are bandanas that she uses when she sucks her thumb to go to sleep). We leave them in the crib and now she knows when I pick her up, she throws them back in. I also leave one in the changing table just in case she is being particularly squirmy. Meara has two stuffed animals that she sleeps with, but she has always left them in the crib so we didn't have to train her to do that.

The reason we restrict Ana's hankies is because she really only sucks her thumb when she's holding it and when she is tired. If she has it during the day, she'll sit and suck her thumb instead of playing.. but the moment you take it from her, she runs off to play.

 

All three of mine use the Gund Comfy Cozies, too. So far, we've left the babies' loveys in their cribs, although they did have them in the car when we did a 12-hour road trip last month.

My older one has dragged hers everywhere, and still does, at 4.5. We have some basic restrictions -- it doesn't go outside to play in the yard, and if she takes it in the car, it stays in the car, and doesn't go into the mall or a friend's house or a restaurant. (Sometimes this is a HUGE battle.) And, it's never been allowed to go to preschool.

My advice is to set restrictions now, if you want to avoid this in years to come!

 

Nope, I told them from the start loveys belong in the crib only, my one son likes to bring his downstairs in the morning but when they are eating breakfast I put it back upstairs. I didn't want to start that.

 

I let my kids carry theirs around in the house (they don't do it as much now, just when they are tired or sad). And for longer trips in th car, I let them bring it as well. It didn't bother me. It brought them comfort, which typically meant that they were happier!

 

I've always insisted that the loveys stay in the house, preferably in their bed/crib. There's an occasional exception if we are going on a long car ride but then it must stay inside of the car. Steven has several little Baby Gunds that he loves. I have noticed that they survive the washing machine beautifully.

 

DS has yet to become attached to anything, but DD has a little Minnie Mouse lovey that is allowed to go with us when we leave the house (by car) and she has to stay in the car when we get to our destination (it's very sweet, DD says goodbye to her, gives her kisses and places her in the car seat). She's not allowed to go on walks or to the pool or anything with us.

 

QUOTE(twoin2005 @ Jul 10 2008, 03:46 PM) [snapback]869780[/snapback]
I let my kids carry theirs around in the house (they don't do it as much now, just when they are tired or sad). And for longer trips in th car, I let them bring it as well. It didn't bother me. It brought them comfort, which typically meant that they were happier!


Same here. But, I did just put restrictions on them a few weeks ago when I started doing daycare. THey were playing all day long, there was no reason to bring them out of their bed. Actually, it's REALLY nice b/c they don't even ask to take them in the car anymore!!!!! I love not hauling them aruond. We just told them that their blankies are for in their bed and they were fine with it b/c they are occupied the rest of the time.

 

The loveys don't go outside with them. I do let them in the car if we are going on a long trip, but not short little errand or daycare trips.

 

In general, I tell them they need to stay in the crib. They each have a stuffed toy they sleep with. Sometimes DD will want to take hers out and then I let her but only in the house. I don't like to hunt it down at nap/bed time.

 

I'm glad you posted this. I've been wondering about the same thing!! So far, my girls just sleep with them and sometimes carry them into the playroom. However, if this becomes a problem (ie. have to go searching before bed) I will restrict them to the crib only. At least, that's my plan anyway...

 

QUOTE(Sue1968 @ Jul 10 2008, 04:11 PM) [snapback]869821[/snapback]
I've always insisted that the loveys stay in the house, preferably in their bed/crib. There's an occasional exception if we are going on a long car ride but then it must stay inside of the car. Steven has several little Baby Gunds that he loves. I have noticed that they survive the washing machine beautifully.


I am worried that his little frog head is going to fall off if I wash him too much!

 

No real restrictions here. They can take them in the car, to bed, wherever. They generally want to leave them in my bag or in the stroller if they're going to be running around, so it hasn't been much of an issue for us... yet.

 

We never let their primary loveys leave the cribs. They have secondary loveys that they sleep with that are allowed out of the cribs, but never out of the house. The only exception is for long trips.

Sometimes they bring other toys in the car, but the toys always stay in the car.

Some kids do take their loveys everywhere and it seems fine from a psychological perspective, but we just didn't want to deal with possible lost loveys.

They do still get dirty (from being sucked/chewed on in the crib) and I wash them in the machine once a week.

 

Our lovey Mr Bunny gets to go everywhere. Grace has some whiny, crying issues when I leave her so Mr Bunny seems to help. We have a spare for when the washing makes his head fall off!

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Jul 10 2008, 12:47 PM) [snapback]870279[/snapback]
I am worried that his little frog head is going to fall off if I wash him too much!



My advice - buy 5 more and stick them in a closet!

We try to limit to bedtime/naptime, i'm less strict than my husband, but they have no interest in taking them outside.

 

My girls have to bring theirs outside when we play. They strap them in their little strollers and take them for a stroll around the yard. They take them with us everywhere. I figure if they get dirty, I'll just wash them. It's just not that big of a deal for me.

 

My oldest DD has had a teddy bear lovey since about 11 months and I never really put any restrictions on it. However, I did remind her when she wanted to take it outside that it might get dirty or she might lose it if we took it on errands. She hated it when I had to wash him so she pretty much left him at home. Just in the past couple of months we noticed she doesn't take him to bed a lot anymore. I actually mentioned it to her tonight while we were laying in bed and she told me "Mom, bear asked if he could sleep downstairs last night and I told him yes!" Stupid me!

 

My girls take theirs everywhere with them. I always wash them once a week, which of my one DD who is really attached to hers can be rough. Sometimes she will realize it is gone and I tell her he is getting a bath, but she will just sit and cry the saddest cry. Last weekend I actually gave it to her still damp because it was just breaking my heart she was so upset.

 

The girls have primary bah bah's (blankets) that stay in their room on their beds, then they also have secondary 'bah bah's' that are out of the same material for carrying around the house. They've recently been trying to eat with them as wel and I've put the kabosh on that. I had spagetti O's all over the one the other day when Eve snuck it out from behind her chair.
They also have certain stuff animals out in the car that go on errands with us, but they usually stay in the car unless we go visiting to someones house. Bah bahs are allowed for long trips or if we take in a Saturday matinee at the movies.
I wash them all at least once a week.