Did you have a favorite stuffy when you were a small child?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238356)
Walnut Creek, California
December 23, 2020 4:24pm CST
Today, the kids at my friend's preschool each received a new stuffed animal from Santa. The 6-year-old girl who yesterday said to me "I don't have a daddy. He took bad medicine and had to go away" received a pink hedgehog. Her young brother (aged 2 1/2) and the others received bears in various colors. All took their new stuffies to bed with them at nap time, right before I left.
It made me remember how important a favored stuffed animal can be to a child. They're basically sources of security, even if life in your "real world" isn't as smooth as it could be. My favorite stuffed animal was an alligator that I named "Ally." I still have him (somewhere in my closet, as he is starting to come apart). He taught me to sleep with someone with my arm over them. Yes, I have used that skill in adulthood.
Did you have a favorite stuffy when you were a child? What became of your early childhood friend?
26 people like this
24 responses
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
23 Dec 20
Nope, I never did. But, I did have a Micah baby, that was about 3/4 inch high. He was always with me or in my pocket. When he came up missing, I was devastated! Where was Micah found? I had buried him in the sugar bowl!
4 people like this
@TheHorse (238356)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Dec 20
@kobesbuddy Eeps. was it an F-111? I'd have to research it!
4 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
24 Dec 20
@TheHorse My brother had a steel airplane he loved, the wings folded up or down.
4 people like this
@kaylachan (84867)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Dec 20
I can't remember for sure, but I do remember having conversations with my sisters about it. Apparently I had a stuffed dog that I used to play with. Last I saw or heard of it, it became a chew toy for my sister, Cassie.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (238356)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 Dec 20
@kaylachan At least that's my hope.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (238356)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 Dec 20
Don't mess with my alligator. I'm still very attached to him. I think the little girl is glad to have a "daddy figure" as her teacher. Today, we took a long walk with the Director (four kids) and the child (and her little bother) held my hand as we walked. We talked about favorite foods, foods she doesn't like, how grown-ups like things spicy, how she doesn't like vegetables, etc. I told her how I like to grow vegetables with kids, and how vegetables taste better when you grow them yourself.
6 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135966)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Dec 20
I dont remember it if I did. But I still have the dinosaur that my oldest boy loved. He was nice enough to give it to my youngest when he was born.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135966)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Dec 20
@TheHorse Chris was almost 3 when Nate was born. It seemed to start a collection of stuffed critters for Nate. I still have that dinosaur. I will give it to Monster when she is old enough to take good care of it and understand it is from her uncle that passed before she was even thought of.
1 person likes this
Yes, I had two. I had a black Scottish terrier and a white poodle. They were gifts from my favorite uncle, but my thumb was my favorite.
@DaddyEvil (174699)
• United States
26 Dec 20
I didn't have any stuffies when I was a kid, pony. We slept with cats and dogs when I was still living on the farm.
Now, of course, Pretty and I both have the babies. (I wrote a discussion about my baby exploding when I hadn't been on myLot very long and the 'fun' of stitching him back together rather than sending him to the dump.)
We still have the babies in a chair in our living room. (The elephant is mine. The baby belongs to Pretty.)
@RasmaSandra (98106)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Dec 20
I had many stuffed animals but when I went to bed I slept with a bee on my stomach and two bears on either side I think the stuffed animals were given away to smaller children later on
@LindaOHio (222803)
• United States
24 Dec 20
Absolutely. I had a stuffed rabbit named Johnny. I don't know what happened to him.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112929)
• United States
24 Dec 20
Yes, and I am not divulging any more information than that lest I want my manhood to go right out the window.
But these little things do mean so much to these children, so of course I think what you are doing is a wonderful and thoughtful thing.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238356)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Dec 20
(puffing up my chest and high-fisting you in a manly way) Having someone to love, and to perceive as loving you, is SO important to a child. Horse Jr. is an athletic boy, and can be a "macho man" if he so chooses, but his bed (before he moved) was LINED with stuffies, even after he turned 12-years-old. I sent him off to North Carolina with a couple of my (more recently acquired) stuffies, and they are a part of his collection.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112929)
• United States
24 Dec 20
@TheHorse In all seriousness, I think it is okay to never truly completely grow up. I still have a few "stuffies" from my childhood (although I assure they are tucked away somewhere and not in or on my bed). I cherish them still to this day and have fond memories from them, which is probably why I have kept them.
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
26 Dec 20
i did - it was a dog named Manfred. He passed away due to sewing complications. There wasn't enough fabric left to save him.
Loved that stuffy!
