It is not uncommon for children to have an attachment to a certain blanket or stuffed animal. These items can provide comfort and confidence when kids are feeling vulnerable. My experience has been that where there is a lovey, there is a thumb sucker. I'm sure this rule doesn't always hold true, but it did for me. Yes, I admit to all of the interweb, I am a thumb sucker. No, I technically don't suck my thumb currently, but I speak in present tense because it is still a part of my history. Though I find no comfort in it now, having sucked my thumb off and on til practically 13 years old, it is still sometimes an instinct when I am feeling particularly stressed or anxious. I even admit to (in desperation) having tried it later in life, but after so many years without, it really doesn't have the same calming effect.
Anyway, back to my kids and their loveys. (We'll continue the thumb sucking talk at a later date.) So these loveys come in many shapes and sizes. There have been a menagerie of cats, an ostrich, lions, tigers, and bears. (Oh my!) These animals hold a particular importance at sleep times throughout the day. Hence, nanny.nora is a bit strict about daytime removal of loveys from beds. Why? Is it because I'm mean? No... Is it because I like to make kids suffer? No... Honestly, and it may be a selfish reason, but my thoughts are if you bring it out to play you are 100% more likely to lose track of it come nap or bedtime. If nanny.nora hasn't been around all day to see what little corner it got tucked into, there is no chance of my finding with when we REALLY need it. As if it's not stressful enough for kids to be without the comfort of a parent at these uncertain times, they (and I) don't need the stress of a missing lovey that might make the difference between a bumpy bedtime and a severely turbulent and tear-filled one.
Case in point, when I worked for the family of twin boys, each had a matching set of lovey blankets. They were animal heads, elephant and tiger, attached to a little blanket. Each of the boys had two. (This often happens when parents buy 2 of the same loveys to have a "washing time" back up, but somehow the kids always end up with both.) Bed time came and M was missing 1 of his tiger loveys. We searched high and low. Upstairs. Downstairs. Every toy bucket in the house. Every possible place I could think of -- bathrooms, under couch cushions. And it was a BIG house. I made it a game and we all worked together (thankfully avoiding tears) but unfortunately the second tiger lovey never turned up. I pride myself on being a master of distraction. (A skill every nanny must master.) And I was able to get both boys to bed with minimal sadness and only 1 lovey a piece. Their mother later contacted me with the happy news that Tiger #2 had been located in the infrequently used salad spinner under the sink. Who knows how it ended up there, but yeah, this solidified my opinion that sleepy time loveys live in beds all day and play a night while the kids rest.
Like everything on this blog, it's just my opinion, but it works best for all involved.
Love your nanny, let your kids love their loveys IN BED.
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