The Importance of Soft Toys
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- Опубліковано 17 лис 2016
- Children’s relationships with soft toys is neither superficial nor unimportant to psychological development. If you like our films, take a look at our shop (we ship worldwide): goo.gl/bbNOLH
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FURTHER READING
"Sometimes you can catch important things about human nature in apparent incidentals. It’s well observed that between the ages of around one and twelve, many children manifest a deep attachment to a stuffed soft object, normally shaped into a bear, a rabbit or - less often - a penguin. The depth of the relationship can be extraordinary. The child sleeps with it, talks to it, cries in front of it and tells it things it would never tell anyone else. What’s truly remarkable is that the animal looks after its owner, addressing him in a tone of unusual maturity and kindness. It might, in a crisis, urge the child not to worry and to look forward to better times in the future. But naturally, the animal’s character is entirely made up. The animal is simply something invented, or brought to life by one part of the child, in order to look after the other."
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You’re never too old for stuffed animals. I really hate the fact that society puts an age limit on them. I’ve just turned 18 and I still love stuffed animals, I find them amazing for stress and I love taking them to college in my backpack. I have epilepsy, so sometimes I have a very unhealthy emotional unbalance and sometimes cuddling soft toys is so calming. Please don’t put age limits on stuffed animals
i will be with my stuffed animals forever, through the decades to come (i'm 23 now)
I'm 70 and my bear is 68. He is a now silent witness to the ups and downs of life. I have a feeling that, should I develop any kind of dementia one day, he will start talking again. No there should not be an upper age limit on keeping them. I know my mother,now 101, doesn't hear much of what we say to her, but her interacts with her soft toy fox terrier still.
School of life is the greatest thing happened on youtube
jay fawn for real tho. I learn more from this school than the one I'm currently attending.
Yes!
jay fawn yes!
Id rather say in human history
agreed
a tear rolled down my face
Fede Widder Mine too ☺
the same
Fede Widder same
Fede Widder same
me too! :'(
At 17 it's no sign of insanity at all if one even buys new teddy bears for personal use. I'm still unashamedly protected this way.
Me at 20 hahaha
Yeah .. just bought a new teddy bear today
This made me cry. I still have my old teddy (I'm 50). He sits on a shelf by my bed. I'd forgotten how much I used to rely on his unconditional love and friendship, and how I used to cry into his furry body when I felt unloved and lonely. He's moved across continents with me and I always said I wanted to be buried with him. Now I know why.
I also want mine burried with me!
I didn't have a plush toy but my blanket kept me safe. I'm 17 now and I still own it and get upset if anyone else uses it
Ngelosi Cebekhulu Same thing. I use my as pillows still, and their the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on, to the point where I hate using actual pillows.
Ngelosi Cebekhulu no way! I am also 17 and have a blanket I've had since I was born and i get uncomfortable when someone else uses it
Ngelosi Cebekhulu
I thought of Harry Potter
me too i have my favourite blanket and stuffed toys still :") i will be 17 in a few days
Hah, I have a blanket that I used when I was a baby, and I was decades without using it, until recently that I noticed that my eyes were getting sore for sleeping near a fan(it has became an habit too), now I use it everyday to cover my eyes and don't like being without it.
Well, I don't feel so embarrassed now. I feel pretty good, actually.
I'm 20 and I still have my teddy bear since year 6 or 7 given to me by my grandfather.
I take him everywhere I go. If I go out for the weekend I take him, vacations or whatever, he's always with me. Can't sleep without him. Always hidden sadly cos I don't want to be laughed at, but he's always there. Mr. Timothy, you'll be with me till the grave. I won't hide you no more. Love you little beast. ❤️🐻
Chris Hermosillo that's really sweet
No shame whatsoever. Seriously.
I’m 24 and recently bought a stuffed rabbit from a toy store on a college campus. The teenage cashier judged me so hard as I bought it, but this video helps me realize it’s not as odd as I thought it to be.
Chris Hermosillo I’m 29 this year and I still take my teddy & sheep everywhere I go ❤️
hey, you seriously..ROCK
This is so insightful. The relationship between a child and their soft toy/blanket is so pure and warm
I still have my stuffed Mickey Mouse. I have a picture with him when he was bigger than me.
Aw that's so adorable! ^-^ I still have mine too,but it looks old and washed out.
Кристина Томић, mine is old too and his eyes have faded a bit and his tail fell off a long time ago. My grandma stitched his ear back on too lol.
Aaron Cajti. :) bless you bro for being honest.
I still have my teddy bear I sleep with him too.
Isiskos ...:0 bro that's harsh main...chill buuhdiiee ;).
This made me wonder what damage is done when a child's stuffed animal (or any other comfort object they might feel connected to on "more than a material" level) is taken from them as a punishment. Be it taken away for a specific period of time or permanently thrown out. This was a common reoccurrence in my childhood and I am learning for many others as well which I'd never have thought. At one point I'd upset my parent so much my favorite stuffed lamb was grabbed from my hands and had her head ripped off in a fit of rage. It was later sown back on when my parent had calmed down and guilt kicked in. But this upset me so much so that I can remember every detail as if it had just happened. It's been about 10 to 12 years since that day. I also recall a few toys being thrown out the window of the moving car. The other times my stuffed animals would be taken and put away so I could not get to them until my time out from them was up. I can't help but to feel this could cause some problems in a child's development and how they learn to cope. I'd love to see a video on the topic.
That's absolutely horrendous, I'm really sorry that happened to you Maddy, what horrible parents to have! My mother was born in the 30s and she has two bears, but they were taken off her and given to two local girls, who actually bullied her and weren't very nice, she had a red bear and a blue one, both taken because her parents probably presumed she was too old or didn't need them.. She never forgot that, it stayed with her all her life.. I had a very special bear when I was a child, who was never taken from me, and I couldn't exist without that bear. One day when my mum was older, I went out and I saw this bear, he was on sale, reduced from £20 to £5. So I bought him for my mum... I went home and pulled out the bag, and said "This is for you.. Your own bear" and she pulled out this huge floppy bear, and we named him Paisley..
That is disgraceful childish behaviour on the part of your parents. I'm so sorry you were put through such behaviour. I hope you can realise that their behaviour was not because of you, it was because of their own unmet needs and frustration. I would heartily recommend a really good psychoanalyst to help you sift through the memories of these undoubtedly really damaging scenes from your childhood.
Its about power and punishment, the desire to control anothers behavior via taking something away from the kid to make them act accordingly is logical all be it an emotional reaction like sayin "look, I can stop you, if you dont stop x then I'll do this" a bit childish on the parents part but it cant be helped
Maddy, your story reminds me of what my paraprofessional, Mrs. Judy Kennedy, did with my Pikachu when I was in fifth grade. She put my Pikachu in my former autism support teacher, Mrs. Sheila Boutsellis's room overnight, because I wanted it to sit at the computer while I did group with Mrs. Judy. My mom told her to give him back to me, because I didn't sleep easy that night. If my mom didn't speak up, Mrs. Judy would've given Pikachu away to her grandchild. From that moment on, I held a grudge against Mrs. Judy, and wound up going to a GNETS (A therapeutic alternative school) school instead of putting up with her. I still have my Pikachu to this day, hanging on the wall by his loop (he's a small backpack/purse), and I never forgotten that moment, because it hurt my feelings enough to hold a grudge against the person for seven years for breaking your little eleven year old heart, just to "teach you a lesson" in trying to fit in with the neurotypical crowd
Very true... my rabbit was burned. I was made watch. I was 4.
This reminded me of something i witnessed.
While I worked as a cleaner at a university, I found a old raggedy stuffed rabbit (ironically!) sitting on the floor in a dance hall. So I left it on the table with a note ''I seem to have lost my owner, please look after me until I can be reunited. I am very old and very loved, so please don't play with me!'' (I am very soppy towards sentimental things, also I thought it would make the owner laugh) and about an hour later, I heard a girl come into the toilets I was cleaning with her friend saying ''..and there was a note saying not to play with him because he's very old, that's so lovely! I realised I left him in the hall after we went down to (local pub) I was so worried!'' the girl was so ecstatic it was the nicest feeling ever :3
This makes me tear up. The School of Life never fails to connect deeply with our deep, inner selves.
Oh, the beauty of Internet Trolls who are too insecure to face their inherent sensitivity and feminine energy in real life.
I talk out loud to myself without a mirror or a teddy bear I just kind of imagine a public of ghosts listening to me...
i often do that when i have absolutely no one to talk to. especially when walking down the pavement or hallways, and sometimes even when on a long ride. the ghost is rather calming. sort of like a friend u can sit for hours with without a conversation and it wont be awkward.
Shady same :)
We humans are so incredibly social and rely so much on relations with people around us that if we are alone for a long time we start 'fixing our problem' by finding someone to talk to. We start talking to the mirror, the air, but ultimately it is ourself we talk to. It's another way of caring to your needs like eating and sleeping and completely normal. People who say they never talk to themselves (out loud or in thought) are lying or mentally deviant from the norm.
I talk to myself in my mind lol
I do both of talking to my stuffed animals and myself
Bless whoever animated/storyboarded Franklin and made an episode of keeping your stuffed animal forever is awesome. I kept my stuffed dog Buster and I'm so happy I did
I feel like these videos have been many people's stuffed animals
Thank you so much ... that's an extremely kind and touching comment.
This video was so emotional, it made me cry and from the looks of the comments, it had the same effect on others! For me, I can't think of just one toy that I had a strong connection to. I was the type of kid who had a TON toys. I also tended to split my attention between all of them, so as not to hurt their feelings. I remember imagining my army of toys protecting me from ghosts.
I'm 19 and I still have ny stuffed toy (it's a hippopotamus) laying in my bed, in case of emotional support
Hanna C. That's adorable!!! I had a whole list and I felt like I had to throw them away when I turned 18 lol.
Hanna C. I eventually bought more in college.
Betty-Alexandria Pride
I love it ❤ and I don't really think that still having your stuffed animal is childish.
Do your stuffed animals still provide emotional support when you need it ?
One problem, Jeeves has become the keystone of my emotional defenses. So he goes missing, I break down. Cats also help,so fluffy
Hanna C. Well, I was in a car accident and only have ever access to pillows for emotional support, but when I did have access I often played out scenarios until I fell asleep. (Playing out positive scenarios still helps me sleep).
I think adults that don't have a childhood teddy among their personal possessions are the strange ones. I still have my Pink Panther that I got on my 5th birthday, he's 33 years old now. He has a loop on his head so he hangs on the wall above my bed.
my ex boyfriend threw my Tiger away.
I can see why he's an ex now, that's a horrible thing to do to someone. My parents would never have thrown out my Pink Panther because my Mum still has her teddy from the 1950s.
Yes, he was a bipolar lunatic who wanted to get married and when I did not agree because of the red flags of his emotional instability, he threw out everything of mine, including valuables, momentos, and my tiger who had gotten me through the abuse of my parents. The significance of my well worn tiger (only toy I asked for and received) cannot be understated. However, I choose to see this as a break from my past filled with abusive and narcissistic people. I got through and now I no longer cater to these types for a minute, as I know the trouble they will bring. My Tiger and my living childhood dog, kept me alive emotionally and spiritually and I will never forget the isolation and helplessness of children and animals and whenever I see formidable and trapped being in greatest emotional spiritual poverty, the saddest thing ever, I do what I can to help. This is not our natural born state.
not everybody got the privilege of owning a stuffed animal in their childhood. it's not strange, although i personally still want one
LOL, having a soft in infancy is hardly what I'd call privilege.
I never had conversations with my stuffed animals, but they all had their own individual names and personalities and interacted with eachother.
Me too!! I still remeber there were 2 dofferent friend groups lol. I had VERY few conversations with them. I wonder if it was paranoia that I didnt usually speak to them or if it was the result of not knowing how to have that dialogue?
I did stuff like that (interacting with them and making them interact) to keep my siblings entertained.
I grew up poor so I didn’t have a lot of toys as a kid, so now every time I have money I buy toys like a stuffed penguin or legos and I was always ashamed of still liking childish things but this video has made me feel so much better, as long as your not hurting anybody do what makes you happy not matter if people finds it weird ❤️
I still have my teddy bear. I'm 23..
Strong Boi Guess youre not a strong boi amirite
+I'm so bored I agree. I don't think strength should be determined whether we have a stuffed animal or not. btw I'm 22 yrs. old & I sleep with cuddle body pillow rolls. They have provided me lots of emotional support in great times of depression & stress, & I'd say they actually made me stronger. =) ^^
I plan to have my childhood stuffed toys with me in my death bed... that'll add a nice touch and wrap it up.
Strong Boi I can't sleep tight without cuddling my teddy bear. 22. The attachment is real. I cry with it and become encouraged by the voice it carries
me too
i'm 22 and my room is full of stuffed animals
no, what's disturbing is the fact you find it disturbing for someone to have teddies. They're just material in the shape of cute animals. The fuck is your problem
Mithilesh Kuncham How is it any more disturbing than dudes that jerk off to their favorite sports team and have collections of sports memorabilia all over the house?
FU 2 lol you think there's just one 'weirdo' with teddy bears? Think again brah. You still haven't explained why it's weird for a 22 yr old girl to have teddy bears. Hmm? I think it's because you're confused and limited intellectually
My question was rhetorical for one. Two...just because many people do something doesn't make it less absurd. How many people followed in the killing of Jews? Did that make less "weird?"
Instead of teddy bears just start collecting guns..Having 50 guns in your home is totally normal! That doesn't exert any signs of psychopathy at all! :)
FU 2 Looool how is it a sign of immaturity? Where is the science for that? You can't decide what is considered adult, that's a definite sign you're pretty dumb. I'd say you're not highly educated are you hah.
I'm 24 and I love my lion plush.
Shelby S 😱second time I've seen you today
Claudia Jean :)
Guess youre probably 26 by now. Do you still have the lion plush?
Hey I have a huge collection
happy 30th
I have ADHD, plushies has been helping me a lot since i was a kid. I don't have friend at school so i spent my time with them, pretending to be on adventure with them, play cooking, teaching, building with them. Fun memories. They replaced the roles of friend because no human want to be my friend.
i had a stuffed toy cow called Cowie (very creative, i know) when i was 8 or 9. i took her everywhere with me but i lost her at my mum's church and i was devastated for weeks 😢 it really did feel like Cowie was the only one who understood me, seemed silly but it kind of makes sense now. thanks SoL!
+diana
Cowie saw some things she shouldn't have. She went to the cops and, after she testified, had to go into hiding. She's doing fine and still has a soft spot for you. Well, being stuffed she's got a lot of soft spots but you get the picture.
diana I had a stuffed elephant that I lost. I know that feeling. It's like losing a close friend.
I also have a cow with an equally inventive name 'moo' 😂.
I hope you found another toy to take Cowies place .
I had this stuffed cat who I would take everywhere with me... I kinda wanna go find her... she's in a bunch of bags full of old stuff. I'm 18 and still missing her lol. that fake cat was such a comfort for me, my childhood was slightly sad lol so I needed that comfort.
Yes, I wish I find my little leopard, it was so cute and kind, I can't find it.
Hope you got her out!
As humans we aren't born "needing" stuffed animals, we are born needing to connect with a human. I'm willing to bet that when families still slept together, as recently as colonial times, (as they still do in many parts of the world) young children received their nighttime comfort from a parent or sibling. In modern times when we force our infants to sleep alone (something no other mammal does) we need to give them something to cling too and comfort them. Hence, soft cuddly teddy bears as a substitute.
MParentWetmore Huh, that actually makes a lot of sense.
I slept in the same bed as my grandparents, sometimes switching with my mom and my aunt. And I always needed to have my stuffed dog, Buster with me. I didn't have him until 1st grade. I understand and agree somewhat with what you're saying but, a lot of children need a friend they can relate to that isn't an adult, a stuffed animal, toy, imaginary friend, someone they can play with that they wouldn't get jealous of if they have a toy they want, or talk to without bullying, or being shy, etc.
RooFooChoo .
Beside the fact that you have an interesting point, I think you miss the video idea. Is about and insight view, and alternative to see ourselves in other perspective, a merciful one.
Should your children sleep together?
Calvin and Hobbs anybody?
I was just about to type that in.
InnocentDoodles Hobbes. Like the philosopher.
Yes, and John Calvin...
My thoughts exactly.
InnocentDoodles NO IM PRETTY SURE HE IS A TIGER!
The videos put up by this channel have genuinely improved the way that I see life. Many thanks to everyone who contributes to and runs it, I hope it keeps going for some time.
Thanks! We're in for the long-term.
If I look in a mirror and I've become a bunny, im going to an asylum.
Oh don't worry about it, puberty happens to everyone, hares are bound to grow in places where they didn't before.
no you're going to siberia
Or the local furry con.
They are full. Wont take you. Outpatient care is all you get. If that. Welcome to america.
+Joseph Stalin
Are you going to stop hesitating to reveal what's going on in your head, or are you just Stalin'?
I actually watched this while hugging my favorite stuffed animal
One time when I was eight my mom went on a field trip to the zoo with my little brother as a chaperone and and brought me home a souvenir,it was a little stuffed zebra that was posed sitting down,I immediately fell in love with it and named him Zeeby,I took him everywhere with me, from sleepovers at cousins to road trips to vacations in California with other cousins,and one day my mom was driving home from a day of work which I had gone to and I fell asleep.The next thing I know I woke up in bed,then i realized zeeby was gone,i was absolutely miserable for months and i finally came to my senses that he was "just a toy".I never forgot him to this day and still hope of finding him.☹
I never had a "special" stuffed animal. I never felt any attachment towards one. I would just speak out load to myself. I still do it sometimes.
i know this video is old at this point, but it's one of my favourite videos from the school of life. as a person who's been depressed, literally since childhood (though i didn't realize it until middle school), and as a person who ha(s)/d an incredibly deep attachment to a stuffed bear, this video is so incredibly eye opening and wonderful. the velveteen rabbit has been one of my favourite books for a long time specifically because of my childhood stuffed bear, but this video only justifies my reasoning imo.
"When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
I lost Teddy... I really miss him.
MÓNICA ANDRADE my 7 year old cousin lost his paw patrol plush tho.
Oh sweetie... I wanna give you a hug.
Mouse Quade Well, I absolubtely adore hugs so, thank you.
You are very welcome~
My teddy was destroyed in the flood when I was 22. I still cry when I remember him :(
I lost my stuffed koala when i was around 5 at a play centre. Just thinking about it now still makes me tear up just a little, still, 14 years later. That kind of connection really is powerful, maybe that loss affected me so much because i felt like i lost part of myself? Who knows, either way attempts were made to replace the toy, but never successfully, i never had the same connection to a toy again. Although thinking about it i have talked to myself a lot for as long as i can remember, maybe that was my brains solution to losing a vessel to project onto.
Anyone else never had those big stuffed animals?
Indeed. After watching the video, I felt the urge to talk to a stuffed bunny.
thats just mean
I never had the really big ones, but the video even shows that its not talking about those ones in particular. As the video transitions it shows the Plushies getting smaller, more like the size of ones forearm which is about what I had.
Never spoke to mine, but a lot like Alain said it did help me. I had a bunch of stuffed animals as a matter of fact and they helped me work through the complexities of social interactions, self affection, calm in times of crisis and abuse...
My stuffed animals are part of why I now own a body pillow and make sure to take time to just lay there alone holding it... because it reminds me to care for myself internally and to let myself be sad and angry.
I always sleep with my big stuffed kangaroo and im in my 20s lol
Never. But I had a real big dog and talked to him.
I have had a stuffed bunny almost since I was born, I always slept with it and took it with me on vacations and sleepovers, now he lives in my closet
I absolutely love the animation in this one.
I got back into the business of comforting objects about 2 years ago with a fluffy blanket. It's been tremendously useful to make peace with the day before falling asleep. I even wrap it around me while working when things get stressful. If you have a hard time with self kindness I recommend having such a symbolic object in your life.
I would have never of thought of this. I loved my soft toys growing up. That's so helpful to see it in a way that help us develop our inner parent.
That's it, I getting back my stuffed bunny back. I miss him
When I was little I had a bear named Tina. She belonged to my mom and I loved her. She went to Disneyland with me, slept with me every night, and held so many secrets. Though she doesn't leave my house much anymore, I could never give her away!
i talked with imaginary friends, and they had all kind of attitudes. But my "partner", my best friend of them all, would be kind, understanding and cautious. So maybe is the same?
i think is the same construct, the child give personality to a physical object, and you gave personality to an imaginary thing in your mind
I'm 22 and I'm still cuddling my bear when I go to bed
I am 26 and I still have stuffed bear which was gift from my mom when I was 8-9. I still sleep with it. I don't talk to him or anything like that, but his hugs are consolation in hard times and his ,,hands" often while my tears... For me I don't need to tell him anything, he already know everything that is in my heart ❤️
Bruv I needed this, I’m 26 and got mine the same age as you and hate this idea of feeling like I’m too old so thank u for commenting
I personally have a lot of stuffed animals. They are like my family and play an everyday role in my life. And not just beanie boos. Stuffed animals in general put a smile on my face. Seeing this warms my heart. When I'm watching this, I am surrounded by stuffed animals. I love them so much!
I didn't have an attachment to a soft toy growing up. But since 2018 an early 80s Wrinkles Dog Soft Toy I bought was in my cabinet up until the Pandemic I decided to put him on my books in the study table as a reminder of sorts for things....a symbol.
This video was published the day after my son was born. what a great gift to receive! Thank you
omg this almost made me cry that poor little boy
Could you make a video on emotional detachment of a child towards family?...A sort of apathy that develops and affects relationships with others later in adult life. I myself noticed this in myself when one day I was told by my sister to hug my mother. Guilty; I felt guilt for the fact that even though I was hugging my mother, I did not feel very much emotionally as if there were something wrong with me. It's as if I have the knowledge that I should feel for my family, but I do not and I begin to worry about what that means for me and my future.
Shardul Rawat yes I'd love to hear a video about this, I know that school of life will execute it perfectly
My mum died when I was 3 and I didn't have a replacement mother figure growing up. I fear I also have similar issues because a 3 year old cannot differentiate between death and abandonmrnt of a primary care giver. I am fiercely independent and whilst I am kind I would not be described as a loving person
2:00
Who else thought:
"Don't hold the bunny by it's head! *YOU'RE GOING TO HURT HIM! ;A;*"
Police officers and emergency responders often carry teddy bears in their vehicles. A paramedic once told me giving kids a teddy bear and listening to them then comfort *the bear* was the only thing that ever brought tears to his eyes at work.
watching this reminded me so much of the Velveteen Rabbit.... 😢😢😢
The velveteen rabbit creeped me out as a child. I'm not sure why. I think i saw an illustration of it with patches and stitches and thought it was actually taxidermy rather than a stuffed rabbit toy.
Seedge Mercado oh yeas;;
It reminded me of it too
Omg yes! I love that story!!
So it is okay to get a stuffed animal at 16?
Ticci Toby I feel that no one should say that you can't. Or at least if you want one then you should get one and not care about what someone else would think. I'm an adult and I still have my favorite stuffed animal in my bedroom. I also have some that were given to me on special occasions like Valentine's Day.
Ticci Toby that's my question too, but I guess the video meant that it's ok to keep one even if you're 16 or 21. But what if it comes in the form of a doll, I wonder if children benefit from Barbie?
Ruka Saotome I guess it would depends on how the doll is treated by the child? I suppose they could be like the stuffed toys/cofort blanket examples in this video. I had dolls but they were mere toys. I played with them and imagined stories, but I didn't bond with them emotionally.
Growing up, I had stuffed toys even bigger than me as my parents like to buy them for my sister and I. But I don't remember ever bonding with any of them as by the age of 5, most of the bigger stuffed toys got ripped by my mum in order for her to make pillows from its filling.
I'm 30 and so is my GF. We rutinly interact with her stuffed animals. It's just fun!
This makes me feel less alone. My plushies are literally my babies and they mean so much to me, most of them are wolves my favourite animals 🐺🖤
Im almost 19, and I sleep with a 3ft manatee stuffed animal my gram always had when I'd sleep over when I was a child. I didn't like being alone in the dark and still don't. It helps my anxiety of not wanting to be alone at night. It's a very childish sounding reason, but she gives good hugs when I need it
As someone with anxiety, depression, and ADHD plushies help a lot with stress and when I feel super uncomfortable in any situation. I’m not afraid of taking it with me in my bag or something. I have a lot of Pokémon plushies and a bear I’ve had since I was 8 :)
I have lots of stuffed animals but I have this one stuffed kitten I’ve had since I was about 4 or 5 I got her for Christmas and I was so happy I’m 14 now still have her and I love her she’s important to me I hug her while I cry I talk to her a lot too
My family doesn’t understand mental health and point and laugh she’s the only one that stayed by me when I was stressed, sad, in pain, suicidal, angry, my stuffed animals are like my second family but the nicer version you can laugh at me if you want I know she’s just a stuffed animal but to me she’s like my best friend she’s my favorite stuffed animal out of all the other ones I have cuz I’ve had her the longest
Mindblowing!!! Self- nurture, that idea is brilliant!
They are powerful containers to draw down spirit helpers, much like native traditions of spirit dolls. Be grateful if you have a guiding and benevolent spirit journeying with you in the form of a teddy bear in this life and please don't take them for granted or be shamed. We're never too old for teddy bears :)
I don't want to grow up anyway :)
The Teddy Bear, or Plushie as it is more commonly known today is probably the most basic of the "Emotional Technologies" that you guys so often talk about that would lead to a better society. That along with the bubble bath. The Teddy Bear increases ones capacity for self-affection, and the bubble bath facilitates destressing and calm.
Honestly School of Life itself has become part of my Emotional Tech repertoire although sometimes I forget because you guys do such a good job of promoting self-understanding and compassion for others.
I teared a little watching this. I went so far as to name mine my name and my brothers. That way they could have conversations to each other about our lives. Things we couldn't say without that social constraint of actually letting our feelings out...
I still sleep w my stuffed animals but I never had the you know .... common animals , I had a hipo and a goat ....I love them I cry when I think of them at school
I still have my panda bear at 16, his name is Alien and he's so precious to me.
Lada Karasková mines called pandabunny
I never had a stuffed toy and it didn't do me any harm, I'm very patient and only have 15yrs left to serve on my sentence
I have a penguin :3 her name is penggie
Lloyd Grospe omg I have/had a penguin too, he is so cute and is called Pengi, almost as yours! He's so cute
Lloyd Grospe that's an adorable name :3
Lloyd Grospe I have lots of stuffed penguins and my fav is named pingu 😊🐧
I have a stuffed animal named Buster, I named him after the rabbit Buster in Arther. He's on the edge of my bed right now :D
I can show a photo of her :3 she is currently 15 years old :3 as old as me and Im still with her :3
I loved my cavalcade of stuffed animals like most children do, and now seeing my 4-year-old snuggling into bed with a few of my childhood animals gets to me every time. It is devastatingly sad to think about children whose bears or rabbits are their only source of support, rather than just one important voice of many.
I’m 34, and I have a bunch of ESSAs or emotional stuffed animals. They are wonderful and I would never give them up.
As far as self nurturing, I do indeed know how, and my mental health is much better since I’ve started listening to it.
I am 35 and I still keep Mr Stay Puft with me. Albeit I no longer talk to it, but just keeping a memento of my childhood is oddly reassuring
i never had any sort of attachment to any of my toys. The closest thing i had was an abundance of imaginary friends and characters that i would play with and talk to. I was a very lonely child...
So, what does it say about me if I had stuffed animals but never had this relationship with them? I didn't talk to my stuffed animals at all...
Sensei Aaron same here
other imaginary friend? or just none?
Same. I didn't know people did this.
Eric D No I just talked to myself. Still do. Like my mind is two people: reason and emotion.
I agree. I had a lovely cuddly bear that my cousin made me but I never gave him a voice to talk to me. I also had no idea people did this. I just cuddled him and sucked my thumb!
I was abused as a young child. Beaten harshly for just waking from a nightmare. My grandmother left me pick out a toy at the store and she loved I picked out a teddy bear. I slept with that bear all the way to my early teens when my mother boxed it away. Then one day when I was near 30 my mother gave me that box. Tears filled my eyes seeing my hear again. Like a child so talked to it and cuddled it at night. It helped me to put my bad childhood parts and another place so I could go on with life. My teddy started falling apart. It hurt to throw him away. I put him in a box and added to the senior teas by the dumpster.. It been 20 years and a lot of surgeries later. Then cancer hit and I found I most my facebook friends weren't real friends. Alone I went thru round after round. Then one day I found a teddy just like my childhood one. I bought it and my depression has gone down. Finally a friend to talk to again
When I turned one year old, I was given a small blue blanket. I always told him everything. He treated me better than anyone else would. I loved him and I always will.
That penguin was really sinister when he hugged the girl
Dectraco I wouldn't trust the bunny either...
you're sick... stop watching horror films
I totally agree. I still have mine and I'm nearly 24. I love them to pieces.
My stuffed toys have always meant a lot to me. They understand me, they keep me company, they give me hugs, they talk to me, and they helped me understand myself. Whenever I had arguments, I told them each side of the argument and sometimes realized that I was wrong. Whenever I had problems, I talked to them about it and I hugged them, and it lifted something off my chest. They also help me talk to myself. My inner voice becomes their voice and they shared different opinions and ideas. When I was younger, I hugged my stuffed toys while I slept to feel more comfortable, safer, and I just needed to hug or hold something while I slept. But when I entered my adolescence, I wasn't hugging them for those reasons anymore, I was hugging them because they were my friends and loved them. I built relationships with them. As a teen, I was never embarrassed to have stuffed toys and I never cared if I was made fun of or not. Now, as an adult, I still do all those things with my stuffed toys. They still keep me company, they understand me, they help me with my problems, they help me sleep, and much more. I've been told to get rid of them many times throughout my life but I never have. Stuffed toys have a special place in my heart.
Omg I'm like you!
I love you Beary. I'll never throw you away. 16 years and counting...
Wow I have tears in my eyes. That was wonderful
It makes sense as to why I was so attached to a stuffed dog growing up, and now a much larger stuffed bear as an adult. My parents were never compassionate, supportive or nurturing. Instead, they were the opposite and were abusive. I guess it's similar to an imaginary friend except it can give physical comfort. It was and is a coping mechanism. Maybe one day I'll escape this, maybe I'll always keep a stuffed toy.
A few years ago, I nearly died of the 'rona and was in thr ICU for a couple weeks in extreme quarantine. My mom sent me a teddy bear to keep me company, and as I was scared I was about to breathe my last breath. I clung to that bear for life while I was being treated like a leper in the hospital it was so scary... He became an important fixture on my bed, and sadly last November my mom unexpectedky passed away, and that little teddy bear to me is a token of the love she had for me and I've cried a million tears into him the last several months. When I was a child my transitional object was a blanket, and I literally slept with it til it was nothing but a torn and dirty rag when I was a kid. I know a lot of people give stuffed animals for valentines day and as love gifts to their significant other, they are often just a special token of love.
I remember I was in love with this stuffed doll that had pink pjs with white Polkadots and brown yarn hair. I actually sleep with this doll, took this doll everywhere in my house, I loved this doll.
I'm 25 and I still sleep with my teddy bear that I've had since the day I was born. I actually get anxiety when I don't have her nearby during the nights so I have to have her with me if I want to even remotely get a good night sleep
I would love a video elaborating about stuffed animals and adults who were abused as children. I was emotionally abused as a child and still have a stuffed animal everywhere I go (hidden in a bag, but with me nevertheless). I never grew out of not being overly critical to myself, and thus my plushes and childhood toys are still helpful with that, even though I’m 22 with a 9-5. They each have unique personalities in my head, and they all help in some way or another when I’m stressed. I know I’m not the only adult who still has this childhood habit. A video showing a bunch of people like me as case studies similar to the 6 year old boy and his Bunny would be really cool to see.
I'm almost 22, I have an army of plush toys (all relatively recent) and I'm proud of it!
Thank you... now this truly speaks the truth.
I love my old Russ teddy bear........... and I'm already in my 30s.
this video really hit a spot with me
That is amazing, I have tears in my eyes! Thank you, great job!
I honestly pulled out my plush simba after this video. I hugged it tight, and it oddly enough, it felt comforting. (like a nostalgic feeling I never wanted to let go of)
Vanessa Casillas Keep it with you, a closet or a box is fine too, just keep it for those moments.
I also hugged by Bluey plush tight and I am 16
You said it but perhaps not quite clearly enough: We need to be friendly with ourselves throughout life.
since a little child i got an imaginary best buddy which no matter what happens he would always be there comforting me and giving all the support i needed and he was kinda growing up with me like a real best pal would and got his own personality and all of that, im thankful of seeing this video, i thought this was a childish behaviour but it was only a way of protecting and nurturing myself with self love, im sure he will still be with me in the future...
:') my stuffed animals were always a bandaid fix for emotional neglect, im 16 now and I still sleep with a moUND of them djjsdhs
This is a beautiful video and so true. It's a shame not everyone will understand it. It could make their lives so much better.
I'm 17 and I have a baby blanket and a huge stuffed animal (which was huge but now it's half my height) that sooth me so much whenever I experience mental breakdowns. It's kinda sad that I can't bring them with me when I go out or on vacations, as they're too big and would be even more embarrassing to carry around. But I truly love having them around and as weird as it sounds, I'm probably still going to keep them by my side as I grow old.
I have a black cat toy called "Black Cat" (original I know) and he's been all over the world with me and wherever I am in the world, he makes me feel home 😊
My teddy is Gus, and he comforts me...even in my 40s
I remember some Mommy Minimalist blogger who stated she would never allow her daughter to have a single soft toy, not even one. To me that is child abuse because of the role of compassionate being the soft toy fills, to me it is an indispensable part of childhood and every child's right.
Gonna completely admit that I’ve never let go of the stuffed toys I’ve grown up with. It doesn’t bother me if people think I’m immature because I have them. They still make me feel happy, no matter how old I get
I have a blue elephant plush doll, it was already mine since when I was still in my mother's belly, and I've held on to it since then, I still sleep next to it, it did help me through some tough time, like in middle school when I was hating my body so much i lost approximately 10kilos and also through some episodes of my life that had been rather difficult. It is the singular subject of highest sentimental significance to me, even until now. I value it highly. And yet, i cannot hold it for too much anymore since it might get dirty, and i might need to wash it, and the fabric is too fragile to go for another wash so i have to handle with very much care, like a historical artifact in a museum.
This was lovely. My kids both have attachments to their stuffed toys. They call them their friends. =)
I am 20 and I still sleep with my two oldest stuffed animals. A cow (cowie) and black poodle (blacky). Keep in mind I was 1 and a half when I named them. I was emotionally abused as a kid and they were at times the only things I could confide in or run to. I know they are not real but they how such an important place in my heart. I can sleep without them of course but I enjoy the sense of security they give me. I still curl up with them when I’ve had a bad day or just want to cry.
This is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. Absolutely brilliant
Not to mention so tender and sweet