The Importance of Transitional Objects

As any parent knows, kids all have a favourite blanket, toy or teddy-bear, and if it gets lost, all hell breaks loose. And don't even try replacing it with something else, because replacements just don't cut the mustard. So why is that rag-bag of a teddy just so important to your child, and what's the significance of it? Here's the psychology behind the fascination:-

It's more important to your child than even you are

Researchers have found that a child's "transitional object", be it a teddy-bear, a blanket or a scrap of muslin they have been trailing behind them since the year dot can sometimes we more important to kids than even their parents.

It becomes their coping mechanism

In psychology, a transitional object is an object which the child uses to soothe itself and which functions as a substitute for their mother. It is basically a prop used by the child in early efforts to test reality. The transitional object helps kids deal with a whole myriad of emotions, like fear, absence, separation, and how to calm themselves when they are upset. The reason that teddy bear is permanently sticky and smelly is that your child never goes anywhere without it. And his or her reason for dragging it everywhere is that holding it, smelling it, and cuddling it makes your child feel better, and helps them to become self sufficient and confident. 

It's their link between you and the big bad world

So if you ever notice yourself thinking it's time for your kid to stop taking that scrap of muslin everywhere, remember this : that object is your child's link between you and the big bad world. Children should never be stigmatised for their scruffy teddy bear or square of old blanket. It's where they find comfort when things get tough, and in that knowledge, you should find comfort too.