Lovey Intervention

[swrc00]

DS has started becoming quite attached to a Carter's bear that is beige that has mint green lettering that says My First Teddy on it. I had thought about letting him sleep with it. I thought I better look to see if I could find replacements for backups. I knew it was purchased at Target. It is the Just One Years brand. It is only 7" tall. I figured it couldn't have cost much more than $10. I looked on ebay and I found them for as cheap as $19 and as high as $39.99. Am I just out of touch on pricing of things once Target stops selling them or are the sellers preying on parents who need replacement loveys. Check out the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CARTERS-Just-One-Year-Brown-Bear-MY-FIRST-TEDDY-Plush_W0QQitemZ120282579481QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBaby _Toys?hash=item1c01668219&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

I am going to check the Carter's Outlet. I am even second guessing letting him have it in the crib. :hopmad:

[gatorsmom]

I'd maybe pay the $19 for another one but I wouldn't go higher than that. I think people are praying on parents.

but I'd definitely get a backup. Greenbean has a lovey that I won't let him take out of the house. No way. I know of too many horror stories with lost lovies. I'm lucky, though, because we have a changing pad cover (we no longer use the changing pad) that is really soft (i think it's chenille) and sort of resembles his lovey and he'll accept that when we travel or go camping!

[mommyp]

I'd pay around $20 as well, but wouldn't go higher than that. I agree sellers are likely preying on parents! A backup is totally worth it though. DD has a green giraffe lovey blanket thing that my mom bought (for ~$15 I think). I couldn't find another in any local stores so we bought one on eBay for $20. Now one stays home in her bedroom/crib and the other one travels to daycare, in the car on trips etc.

[Ceepa]

I'd pay around $20 as well, but wouldn't go higher than that. I agree sellers are likely preying on parents! A backup is totally worth it though. DD has a green giraffe lovey blanket thing that my mom bought (for ~$15 I think). I couldn't find another in any local stores so we bought one on eBay for $20. Now one stays home in her bedroom/crib and the other one travels to daycare, in the car on trips etc.

OP, back up the lovey!

Sellers who take advantage of parents by jacking up lovey prices are criminals. Mommyp, is it the Carters green velour giraffe lovey from a few years ago?

[niccig]

I'd get a back up too...DS has a back up, but it's not exactly the same. He's 4 years old, and will only take the back up if there is not other choice eg. I was repairing the original lovey.

Get a back up and then swap them occasionally so it's the same wear/smell etc.

[mommyp]

Ceepa, it's not the Carter's one, although very similar! It's made by Bright Start or Bright Future (something like that).

I agree about using them equally. My sister bought a backup lovey, but quite awhile later and DN wouldn't use it at first because it wasn't the same!

[MarisaSF]

If you can't find a replacement, or even if you can, get some sort of ID on the lovey. My daughter is very attached to a stuffed dog. We have a replacement, but if we lost either I think *I* might cry! So I went to Petco (or Petsmart). They made a tiny little ID while I waited. Like the size you'd put on a chihuahua. I bought a little toy dog collar to go with it. Now doggie has my cell phone number firmly attached!

[MamaMolly]

Get a back up. When DD fell in love with her blisteringly pink blanket I thought I'd die or go blind. It is SO pink. But lucked out when my sister gave me another her DD didn't want, then Walmart had some in an even more vile shade of pink and DH even encouraged me to buy 2 more!

I agree that the Lovey Gougers are going to a very very low part of hell.

[sariana]

I consider myself extremely lucky. My DC both attached themselves to those cheap cloth diapers. DS's are smooth, while DD's are tri-fold or something and have a bit of weight and pattern to them. So not only do we have multiples, they are easy to replace, and we can tell them apart. And they can become dust rags someday.

Ah, sometimes I just love my DC. (Well, I always love them, but you know.)

On a side note, when is it safe to let DD (17 months tomorrow) start sleeping with a stuffed animal? I can't remember when we let DS start sleeping with his "Spunky" dog, but I think he was closer to 2. I am afraid to let DD have anything in the crib, even her "blankie" (the cloth diaper).

[sidmand]

If you can't find a replacement, or even if you can, get some sort of ID on the lovey. My daughter is very attached to a stuffed dog. We have a replacement, but if we lost either I think *I* might cry! So I went to Petco (or Petsmart). They made a tiny little ID while I waited. Like the size you'd put on a chihuahua. I bought a little toy dog collar to go with it. Now doggie has my cell phone number firmly attached!

That's so cute! I never thought of an ID tag for the lovey. We don't let DS bring his out of the house (they're not supposed to come out of his room!) but we've lost them nevertheless. So far I think they've only been lost IN the house, but you never know.

[SM23Mama21]

At what age do children start getting attached to things like lovies?

[egoldber]

Just so you know, do NOT wait too long to get the back-up. And then you MUST MUST MUST rotate them faithfully. For many years Sarah had "Lambie" and "Other Lambie". She so knew the difference and Other Lambie would NOT do.

[sidmand]

Oh yes, and never let DC see that there is more than one lovey because then they will need ALL of them (no matter how many) and just one won't do anymore. DS needs TWO puppies and TWO bears. He's even woken up in the middle of the night to tell us he needed the "other puppy." So we did everything right, got a backup, they're worn out the same, but he knows there are two! He doesn't know we actually have three of the bears though...we smartened up by then.

And I've come to find out that his puppies are "retired" of all things and cost $50 to replace!! ID tags are sounding better and better.

[wendibird22]

Yes, get a back up. One of DDs lovey is the bunny version of your bear. Did you check Target for it? They still sell the bunny and it's been almost 2 years since she got hers. The bunny is in the clothing section hanging on a hook with all the Carter's layette clothes, blankets, and booties.

And yes, anything over $20 is highway robbery!

[DrSally]

I got a small yellow ducky from Target that DS became attached to. I ended up buying a back up on Ebay that we never really needed. I looked all over for it, but once Target stops carrying it, it goes to Tuesday morning, TJmax, etc. I found that when looking for a copy of DS's carter's blanket he loves as well, that there seems to be a "lovey market" where people sell discontinued stuffed animals/blankets for a profit to desparate parents.

ETA: ITA with pp about not letting DC see the other lovey or they will have to have them both! DS can take his blankie in the car, but never into a store b/c I don't want to lose it. Lisa, that is too funny that your DC will accept the changing pad cover!

[lizajane]

if i see one out and about, i will grab it for you because we had MANY back ups around here and for good reason!!!

[AJP]

I just bought a 3rd (yes third!) back up lovie for my girls. I've rotated & washed the first 2 sets equally. I bought a 3rd set b/c it's a Gund "Spunky" dog and it seems that every time I've searched locally they didn't have it. I saw two at the Hallmark Paper Store and grabbed them! While I have seen them online, the price hasn't been significantly higher than in the stores. One set DOES NOT leave their cribs, and we just started bringing set 2 out (car, grandmas, long outings). With starting to bring them out I saw a huge need for backup #3. I had lost a lovie when I was young and my parents found me a NEW replacement. I was lucky to have found my loved on lovie and replacement Bruff bear went promptly on the shelf. Had they been equally rotated #2 would have been just as good for me.
Rotate them equally!!!

[vonfirmath]

OP, back up the lovey!

Sellers who take advantage of parents by jacking up lovey prices are criminals. Mommyp, is it the Carters green velour giraffe lovey from a few years ago?

If you think the price isn't worth it, don't pay it.

Note: if these people weren't around, there would be no backup lovey to buy at all right now. Target doesn't sell them. So they bought (probably at full price) and stored these stuffed animals, then put them up to sell just hoping that enough sell to make back the money they invested in the first place.

They are providing a service. If you don't like the price, don't buy. If you can find it cheaper, do so.

But don't make them criminals because you didn't think to buy a second back when they were available. All that will do is make it impossible to find now.

[nov04]

Once we realized that dd2 was getting attached to a lovey (dd1 never did that), I went out and bought a several. The darn things ripped apart in the wash.

I went to Ikea, bought several different stuffed animals and she decided on a cat. So now we have 8 cats and I keep rotating them in the wash. They wash really well and are so soft and stuffed nicely too, becomes a body-pillow if she wants. ideal for us.

[Ceepa]

If you think the price isn't worth it, don't pay it.

Note: if these people weren't around, there would be no backup lovey to buy at all right now. Target doesn't sell them. So they bought (probably at full price) and stored these stuffed animals, then put them up to sell just hoping that enough sell to make back the money they invested in the first place.

They are providing a service. If you don't like the price, don't buy. If you can find it cheaper, do so.

But don't make them criminals because you didn't think to buy a second back when they were available. All that will do is make it impossible to find now.

Easy there.

I'm on your side in supporting businesses recognizing a niche and filling it. I high five the Invisible Hand.

I recognize that these lovies would be difficult if not impossible to recover if not for those who buy them up. But I wouldn't be so quick to say those who buy up babies lovies by the bushel are simply providing a service, prices be damned. So they need to sell a $5 lovey at $50; if they do that simply to break even or make a modest profit, as you claim, then maybe they need to rethink their choice in products. Or their business model is poorly designed.

And I used the term "criminals" to assign a judgment call to the practice, not accusing them of malfeasance in legal terms. I can tell you do not judge them the same way. OK.

Finally, to suggest a parent is at fault for not purchasing multiples every time a child shows an attachment to an item is overlooking two situations, IMHO: a fickle child who develops a burning desperate connection to a new item every 6-8 weeks, and the very common practice of a toddler attaching to a lovey only after the item is no longer in production.

[DrSally]

...the very common practice of a toddler attaching to a lovey only after the item is no longer in production.

That's what happened to us. It's usually too late to go out and buy another by the time DC becomes attached to the particular object. It was funny, I found one of DS's beloved white Carter's blankets *used* for 3x what we pd. Not going to get it. People obviously know there are desparate parents out there and are capitalizing on that feeling.

[vonfirmath]

That's what happened to us. It's usually too late to go out and buy another by the time DC becomes attached to the particular object. It was funny, I found one of DS's beloved white Carter's blankets *used* for 3x what we pd. Not going to get it. People obviously know there are desparate parents out there and are capitalizing on that feeling.

Exactly. They are no longer in production. When stuff is no longer in production, the price goes up. it becomes "scarce". If no one purchases the item on the secondary market because it is too expensive, then the price will go down. This is just basic economics.

Why don't we castigate the companies that make them for not continuing to make the same stuffed animals for years on end so that they are possible to get for retail? Why just the secondary market?

Growing up, we didn't get second copies of loveys because they just were not available.

My son has latched onto two things as a lovey. one was handmade and so there is no second available, at any price. this has given me an appreciation for what these people have done. I'm looking for the fabric to try and remake it--but no luck so far. We'll just have to cope if something happens to it.

The other is the Leapfrog Hug & Learn Tad -- an old version no longer sold. Luckily, this was purchased by a lot of people as a toy and so it can be found on the secondary market relatively affordably. (for some reason, people get rid of toys a lot more often than unused stuffed animals! Or maybe the stuffed animals just end up in the trash instead?)

[Seitvonzu]

whoah! when did your kids attach to a lovey? my 18-months next week child still doesn't seem particularly attached to any one thing. i recently bought her a sheep that you wind up that plays "mary had a little lamb" and tilts it's head (i had one as a baby), and she LOVES it and will talk to it, wind it, whatever...but it's not like she HAS to have it at all times. she's happy if i bring it in the car, will lay on it, but not desparate.

i think it's a function of her having lots of loves in her crib, and she has for a long time. i used to take " baby" with us everywhere when she was tiny-- it was a little carter doll in hat/sleep gown that i bought at kohls. i think i'm more attached to "baby" than my baby is!

she is getting more into blankets these days because she uses one at naptime. all other times she's in a sleepsack. hrm. she does hold onto pacifiers in her sleep, but i only let her have those in the crib. we don't even take them in the car because i don't want her too attached. i wouldn't mind a doll or blanket or stuffie though!

[AlbrightRC]

Our son has been sleeping with a stuffed animal in his crib since about 6-7 months old. He also sleeps on a small pillow. Of course he came home from Ethiopia at 10 months and this is what he is used to.

I consider myself extremely lucky. My DC both attached themselves to those cheap cloth diapers. DS's are smooth, while DD's are tri-fold or something and have a bit of weight and pattern to them. So not only do we have multiples, they are easy to replace, and we can tell them apart. And they can become dust rags someday.

Ah, sometimes I just love my DC. (Well, I always love them, but you know.)

On a side note, when is it safe to let DD (17 months tomorrow) start sleeping with a stuffed animal? I can't remember when we let DS start sleeping with his "Spunky" dog, but I think he was closer to 2. I am afraid to let DD have anything in the crib, even her "blankie" (the cloth diaper).

[AnnieW625]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about a replacement. If the bear does end disengrating then take him to the store and let him pick out a new lovey.

[swrc00]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas. I did find the bear at Target. I am still shocked at the pricing of the ones on Ebay. As a consumer I would choose not to buy it.

[egoldber]

OP, glad you were able to find one.


If the bear does end disengrating then take him to the store and let him pick out a new lovey.

Oh my. That's like saying go to the store and pick out a new husband. Only a husband might be easier to replace. ;)

[Snow mom]

Oh my. That's like saying go to the store and pick out a new husband. Only a husband might be easier to replace. ;)

:hysterical: So true. I still remember losing my favorite stuffed animal when I was 6 or 7. They were playing "hide and seek" at a campground and I couldn't remember where they were hiding. Eventually we had to just leave them. It's a very vivid memory-- but I still have no idea where they were hiding.

[elephantmeg]

I bought DS a little doggie that I thought would be his lovey. It was in his crib from when he could have something etc. No, he attached to a stuffed fish that MIL found somewhere. Luckily he also loves a turtle, anothe dog (also from MIL) and everything else in his bed so no real lovey. Except that if we go away camping etc we take fish, turtle, puppy....

[kijip]

If you think the price isn't worth it, don't pay it.

Note: if these people weren't around, there would be no backup lovey to buy at all right now. Target doesn't sell them. So they bought (probably at full price) and stored these stuffed animals, then put them up to sell just hoping that enough sell to make back the money they invested in the first place.

They are providing a service. If you don't like the price, don't buy. If you can find it cheaper, do so.

But don't make them criminals because you didn't think to buy a second back when they were available. All that will do is make it impossible to find now.

I think Ceepa was using hyberbole, LOL. Sorta the same way I think the people who block my driveway or drive the ice cream truck away before I find my change are criminals. :wink2:

[kijip]

At what age do children start getting attached to things like lovies?

Some kids never do. My son was a little attached to a Carter's bear. I thought it would become a big deal and ran down a second. He still has it but I think it lives mostly on the floor of his closet. He did offer it to Finn one time when he was crying. But he never needed it the way I see a lot of kids needing theirs. Around a year or so is when my nieces attached to theirs.