As I child I had teddy bears and treasured each one for different reasons. Be that because they were a gift from a grandparent or marked another special occasion. In fact I still have one or two of them along with a few other childhood items. When I discovered I was pregnant with each of my children the first thing I bought them was a teddy bear. I wanted them to have a special teddy that they could treasure too.
In fact as the children have grown they have each gained other furry friends from relatives to mark birthdays and Christmas and we now have quite a collection. Although it’s not just teddy bears but also various other stuffed animals. But why do they play an important role?
Well for many children a teddy bear acts like a security blanket, something that makes them feel safe when they go to somewhere new or experience something new, like starting school or visiting the dentist. They provide children with the confidence to try new things and is that constant reassurance that they often need. A child may also take their trusted ted with them wherever they go, a constant companion who they share everything with especially if a child is shy natured. If a child experiences a bereavement be that a loved family pet, grandparent etc a teddy bear can provide comfort to a child. Teddy Bears are often the toy of choice at bedtime too, something to cuddle up with during the night and help reassure a child if they are scared of the dark.
So Teddy Bears play an important role in a child’s life and even for adults. As I said earlier I still have one of two of my childhood teddy bears and the children enjoy playing with them now as much as I did as a child. I like the fact that my children treasure my teddy bears as much as I do.
I think Teddy Bears will always remain a popular choice for a gift for a child too and they come in all shapes, colours and sizes. They mark many milestones from first birthday, to christmas, graduation and even getting engaged. When they have a special meaning teddy bears also become that little bit more important to a child too. There are no specialist shops that sell personalised Teddy Bears and other stuffed animals such as Say it with Bears. They make a more unique gift and provide a lasting memento of a special occasion or person.
Do you still have a childhood Teddy Bear?
Disclaimer: This post is written in collaboration with Say it With Bears however the content is 100% my own.
I really liked this post and just felt that I had to comment. I have a teddy bear that is coloured and striped like a tiger (another thing I’ve been passionate about for as long as I can remember). He was given to me when I was around 18 months – 2 years old by family friends, I think it was for my birthday. I named him George after the person who gave it to me (her name was actually Julie but I used to call her George).
He was with me on my first hospital visit when I was five to have my tonsils and adenoids removed and grommets put in, again when I was life-threateningly ill at almost 7 with an infection of the lung that involved me missing 9 months of school.
He has seen me not only through life-threating illnesses, but comforted me through the times when my mother was ill in hospital,stayed with me on school trips, on holidays to visit my grandparents, on family days out, comforted me through the pain of not only being the first one of my peers to have braces aged nine and also the last to have them removed at aged 19, and the highs and lows of first love during my teenage years.
He was also the first thing to come with me when I moved in with my (now) mother in law and hubby at almost 20. He was a comfort to me at the loss of my mother and my post natal depression afterwards.
He came to the hospital at both of the births of my daughters.
He even is a regular visitor at my local dentist’s! And I’ll be 30 in january!!
A much loved member of my family.
Hope that your children have created a special bond with their bears and will be able to look back with fondness on those times in years to come xx