Yesterday's flannel pants got me thinking about my son's pacifier and blankie that need to be with him at all times. The pacifier for falls and bumps and stress and being cranky in general. The blankie for snuggles and falling asleep. We have multiples of each item.
A conversation with a coworker last weekend was about older kids who still have pacifiers or who are still in strollers despite being able to walk. I get both issues. Especially the pacifier with the speech and dental issues...it's going to be the first to go while I have no problem with my son taking his blankie to college if he needs to. The stroller thing for parents I think is more about kids who get tired and how slow a toddler is getting anywhere on their own. You don't want to just end up carrying them.
Do we ever outgrow the need for stress-relieving items though? Sure, when we're really little there is an overwhelming fear of the great big world so comfort takes a higher priority. We understand little and get upset more easily. But even as adults, I think there is a natural human need for safety items.
We have a favorite sweatshirt. A favorite food that makes us feel better. Or a favorite book, movie, chair that we go to when the world it getting to us. Or maybe it just keeps us grounded. Sometimes our favorite things aren't to cheer us up at all but to be constant reminders of who we are and why.
Something more like a Buddhist mantra or mandala. We focus on it to meditate. To remind us about our priorities. Good music can do the same. Or exercise. Runners have been shown in studies to make better executive decisions after training.
Even as an adult I think the world is a big disorganized mess. I understand it more. But it hasn't changed my opinion that we need to focus on the little things.
And I would no more deny my son his happiness from a fuzzy piece of cloth than I would be ok with someone telling me to give up my morning coffee. To quote John Lennon, "whatever gets you thru the night."
A conversation with a coworker last weekend was about older kids who still have pacifiers or who are still in strollers despite being able to walk. I get both issues. Especially the pacifier with the speech and dental issues...it's going to be the first to go while I have no problem with my son taking his blankie to college if he needs to. The stroller thing for parents I think is more about kids who get tired and how slow a toddler is getting anywhere on their own. You don't want to just end up carrying them.
Do we ever outgrow the need for stress-relieving items though? Sure, when we're really little there is an overwhelming fear of the great big world so comfort takes a higher priority. We understand little and get upset more easily. But even as adults, I think there is a natural human need for safety items.
We have a favorite sweatshirt. A favorite food that makes us feel better. Or a favorite book, movie, chair that we go to when the world it getting to us. Or maybe it just keeps us grounded. Sometimes our favorite things aren't to cheer us up at all but to be constant reminders of who we are and why.
Something more like a Buddhist mantra or mandala. We focus on it to meditate. To remind us about our priorities. Good music can do the same. Or exercise. Runners have been shown in studies to make better executive decisions after training.
Even as an adult I think the world is a big disorganized mess. I understand it more. But it hasn't changed my opinion that we need to focus on the little things.
And I would no more deny my son his happiness from a fuzzy piece of cloth than I would be ok with someone telling me to give up my morning coffee. To quote John Lennon, "whatever gets you thru the night."