-
Hee hee! Look, I have a signature! -
I can see why in a group setting dragging around a huge blanket can be frustrating but I also think this child is still young and has not developed stress management abilities and uses his blanket as a way of comforting and soothing himself in the absence of his mother. I would allow him to have the blanket but ONLY in specific locations such as on the sofa or in the PNP only. If he chooses not to eat or do anything else I think that his need for comfort is over riding the other needs and that will change as he becomes aware of the fact that the people in his life are not trying to take his source of comfort from him. I would imagine he feels like it might not be there when he needs it if he leaves it.
I have not had this situation happen in my care except for a 3 yr old who was attached to his paci but after a bit of letting up on the subject and letting him have it only if he sat on the sofa while using it, he gradually became comfortable enough to start exploring and playing and not feeling anxiety about it being taken. Then after a few weeks, he gave it up all together as other needs took over. The following link has some good info about this.
Comment
-
I don't know if this would work or not but is there away that Mom could cut the blanket into a 12x12 square so that he has something to hold at your house and just keep the big part at home.Comment
-
I would(and do) put the blanket away and never think about it again. It's not even worth trying to convince mom anymore. I tell them they don't need blankies, sippies, etc here. If they send them I just cubby them.Comment
-
Apparently it's working
I can't believe it...we're sitting at the table for lunch and he's not screaming, not crying, and he IS eating!! This is the most I've seen him eat in awhile. Wow...this is awesome. I'm still really tempted to not even give it back for nap because I'm afraid that then we'll have to go through the separation process, but I also want everyone to nap, sooo...we'll see.
But he did eat, happily. That's progress.
Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!Comment
-
Blankets and other comfort items
My policy is that I will allow comfort items such as a blanket, or pacifier, or a stuffed animal lovie at nap time only. It only leads to trouble when the comfort items are out and another child dares to touch it. Then the owner of the item totally freaks out and loses their entire brain. I have plenty of toys to play with and lots of activities in our daily schedule so the blanket wouldn't be neccessary until naptime.
I once had a boy who had a blanket that he was fixated on and it was before I decided that all comfort items stay in cubbies until nap. He left it on my kitchen floor, which is laminate, and I wasn't looking down and I stepped on it and slid and busted my arse! That incident was the straw that broke the proverbial camels back!Comment
-
The problem is that it has reached a point where it's obstructive. I let it get to this point because it seems harsh to me, too, but when he spends all day not eating because he'd rather hold the blanket, we have a problem.
He's not new...he's been here since May. The blanket has gradually become a bigger and bigger fixation.Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!Comment
-
When my children where little and had lovies I had them keep them in their beds to keep them safe. Thet weren't allowed out of their beds much less out of our home
.
Tell the lil guy you want to keep lovie safe and clean and that he can have it at nap time.....AND DON'T BUDGE.
Comment
-
That is how I did it, too. My pediatrician is the one who discussed it with me at my 6 week check.When my children where little and had lovies I had them keep them in their beds to keep them safe. Thet weren't allowed out of their beds much less out of our home.
Tell the lil guy you want to keep lovie safe and clean and that he can have it at nap time.....AND DON'T BUDGE.
With the rise in MRSA/VRE (active in sloughed off skin cells) it just is not safe to bring a known risk factor into my clean home.- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.
Comment
-
kids come in with lovies and they get put up till nap and then put away right after. I prefer if they stay and then I just was them with other daycare laundry. I have a show and tell day that kids can bring in an item so most of my kids don't ever bring in anything because it is not show and tell day it is what their moms can tell them.Comment
-
I think this is a wonderful solution!
....although, I am picturing a SA kid with a tiny piece of his "blankie" tucked into his pocket so he can comfort himself throughout the day but not let his friends see it" LOL!!! :
:
But seriously, why not have the blanket get smaller so it is more manageable and still available to him. It sounds like the blanket's size is more of an issue than him being attached to it. Plus, you mentioned that he is not new and has been there since May and the blanket issue is just now getting to be a problem so I am now thinking that in May attachment and being away from his mother wasn't an issue because he was around 1 then but now he may be developing some separation anxiety since he is growing older and more aware of the fact that he is being left. Could there possibly be any big changes going on at home that would affect his sense of security that would explain his growing increase in needing to be soothed and comforted? If he is choosing a means of comfort (the blanket) over a basic necessity (eating) then I think there has to be other issues.
I totally get where you are coming from but I am just having a hard time getting over the fact that he is still so young and if the same situation was happening to a 3 year old I would agree 100% with just not allowing it but he is a toddler and just now developing a sense of security, attachment and comforting abilities as an independent person. food for thought.Comment
-
I allow NOTHING from home not even diapers or wipes! Bring the kid and that's it!Comment
Tweet
Comment