Former loveys... when to put away for good?

[lalasmama]

DD's now 8.5yo. She's into Barbies, AG dolls, reading, etc. Typical interests for a child of her age. We're going on a mini-road trip today, so I asked her to pick a few items to entertain herself on the way. I expected a doll, a book, maybe some Zoobles.

She brought out her "lovey" from toddlerhood--a HUGE blue camouflage frog, named, appropriately, Froggy. Froggy only comes out every few months. She doesn't cuddle with him. She drags him around for a few minutes each time, then whines that she doesn't have one of her dolls. I guess my point is that while she loved this Froggy when she was 1 or 2, now, she doesn't really care much about him. He hasn't seen the light of day since... well... I have no idea!

Am I a bad mom if I just happen to "misplace" Froggy in the storage shed while she's at daycare? If I ask permission, like any child, she's going to say "no way"... but that's the same thing she would say about the 6418561 McDonald's toys that met the garbage can last week. :innocent: I have no idea what happened to them!

So, give it to me straight. Former lovey that sees the light of day 3-4 times a year--okay to move it to storage?

[lmwbasye]

I had mine on my bed until I left for college even though I wasn't attached much past 4 or so.

Why the rush to put in storage?

[MelissaTC]

M still sleeps with Mr. Bear and his blankie when we aren't home. He is 10. It gives him some security and comfort in an unfamiliar place. I don't see the rush to take them away. Now, he does have 20 million stuffed animals that I would love to rehome but he isn't ready for that yet and since they are all living in a basket, I am ok with that too.

[Beth24]

My 14 year old still sleeps with his on his bed. He just likes knowing it is there. My 9 year old still sleeps with hers every night and brings it on trips and sleep overs. In your case since she still seems interested (pulling it out for the trip) it probably means you shouldnt store it.

[MamaInMarch]

I had 2. Chick-chick was my lamb that I had until a family member's dog decimated him in my teens. The other was a little star that played Twinkle, Twinkle. It is currently in my DS's toddler bed. I think it would be fine to leave out but specify that Froggy is an old man and can no longer handle the trips out of the house.

[Piglet]

I'm still incredibly upset with my mom for throwing mine away a few years ago! It was a little blue pillow that I only took on trips and it had traveled the world with me. It was threadbare, but DS1 took a liking to it, so my mom offered to make a pillow just for him. Once the pillow was done she threw away his (my) pillow :( By the time I realized what had happened, the garbage was long gone. I'm still upset by it.

[lalasmama]

I had 2. Chick-chick was my lamb that I had until a family member's dog decimated him in my teens. The other was a little star that played Twinkle, Twinkle. It is currently in my DS's toddler bed. I think it would be fine to leave out but specify that Froggy is an old man and can no longer handle the trips out of the house.

I like this idea.... I guess I'd just prefer Froggy stay home. Pointing out to her that he's an "old, old" frog and needs to stay home for sleep may work well with her. Lo and behold, she brought him today, threw him on the floor in the car, brought him into SO's house where he (Froggy, not SO) spent the whole day in a plastic bag on the couch. She didn't play/bother with him once. (But did say that she missed her baby dolls that usually come with us.) No idea why I hadn't considered limiting his presence to just at home.

(Of note, she hasn't been allowed to have toys of any sort in bed for years, after she went through a month of refusing to sleep... because she told me her dolls were playing all night long in her bed. Animals/dolls/anything beyond her special blanket was banished!)

[JBaxter]

I think my oldest was 11 or 12 when his blanket was no longer tucked under his pillow at night. It spent year just in his bed. We tucked it away in my closet < its still there and he will be 21. He then gathered up a sofa throw that is his favorite sleeping blanket and its at college with him now. He said its not to not but keeps him warm.
But up through 8 or 9 his blanket went on vacations etc. Nathan has a raggedy ann & andy crib blanket that he sleeps with and brings down every morning "to keep his legs warm" and we still travel with it on vacations/trips. Other than than it stays in his room.

[Carrots]

I had mine on my bed until I left for college even though I wasn't attached much past 4 or so.

Why the rush to put in storage?

Umm... I brought mine to college. I still have him around here somewhere.
My roommate brought her's too!

[JustMe]

I agree with pps that I had mine forever, 9 year old dd still has hers (several actually), and that I really wouldn't feel the need to put it away. I do understand not wanting to take it on trips, and I was direct with my dd about this. She would take most of her room if it was up to her, so I had to be! She can take one small stuffy/lovey when we go on a trip; that's it. Sometimes she also does choose to bring a very small blanket that fits in her luggage too, and I'm fine with that. I don't give her any stories about why she can't take bigger/more things. I just tell her the truth that we don't want to be stuck carrying extra things around and when you go on trips you usually come back with more than you went with!

ETA-Just read that your dd is not allowed to have loveys in her bed, which I understand based on your reasons! She still may want a small transitional object when she goes on trips and, if it were me, I would allow something small that can go in her luggage (and not on her bed in your case) if she expresses that need.