My 4 year old son always keeps something besides him when he sleeps. Is that normal?
My son always keeps something besides him while sleeping. It can be anything, not necessarily a toy.
Does that mean he fears something?
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I guess its normal. Even.when i was a teen, I used to keep my pillow next to me and used to sleep by hugging it. But mostly it was to reduce my anxiety and provide comfort.
Yeah.. So its normal ( hopefully, oe else I am not normal lol)
I've known quite a few kids that just wanted to hold on to something while they fell asleep. Having a cozy, or something to regularly cuddle with is also completely normal and acceptable at this age as well. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion it means he is fearful, its just a part of how he sleeps. Do you have a favorite pillow you always sleep better with? Think of it as being similar. It is just part of how he falls asleep best right now - and it is fairly common for his age.
My son (2.5) sleeps with approximately 12 trucks, four bears, a caterpillar, three pillows and Iron Man. (I sometimes wonder how on earth he can fit in there with all those toys.) He will get quite upset if he wakes up and a toy isn't there and should be. It's not for protection, or fear; he does it because these toys are his lovies. My daughter, 5.5, does the same thing (except for the quantity). We always verify that each one is there at bedtime for her peace of mind.
Research indicates that lovies are there to help kids transition from the parent to the rest of the world.
Comfort objects are completely normal for small children.
Does that mean he fears something?
Is he feeling insecure or something?http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?q=~child+%22transitional++objects%22
Yes, probably - but that's ok. If he had no fears - of anything at all - then that would be distinctly abnormal.
Growing up in the big world is scary for children, and security blankets, known in child development jargon as "transitional objects," help them transition from the familiar to the unfamiliar with more ease.
www.parenting.com/article/ask-dr-sears-security-blanket
It's a well-studied field: scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?q=~child+%22transitional++objects%22
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