Should my child take toys to bed?

Should my child take toys to bed?

Gary Feldman (Medical Director, Stramski Disorders Center, Miller Children's Hospital ) gives expert video advice on: What sleep position is best for my baby?; What should my baby wear to help him sleep at night?; Should my child take toys to bed? and more...

There's nothing wrong with a child taking something to bed. The issue is, what are they taking to bed, because the something that they're taking to bed is actually their comfort object or their transition object. It's something that they are used to during the daytime, and they can associate with, and it speaks comfort to them, it speaks sameness. So if they can take that to their bed it automatically implies that there is something that comforts them. The question is what's the something? It's got to be safe, so you don't want them to take some spiky toy with them to bed, or something that's going to damage them in some way or be harmful. Usually that's why fluffy toys are great, because they're soft, nice to feel. Blankets with nice silk edges are nice because kids like the feel of the blankets. There's some great proprietary toys out there with different textures, feels like it's rough and it's got a smooth texture. So there are a bunch of things out there. One can be very creative. But it's a great idea for children to get used to their "blankly". When I say "blankly", it doesn't have too be a blanket. It is their transition object. The child who takes their "blanky" around wherever they go, their blanket that's full of holes and it smells, that mom dare not wash because it's not the same after they've washed it, it doesn't matter. The point is the sameness. As long as they can take that with them to bed it really becomes a surrogate parent, that's really in essence what it becomes for them.