Throughout my childhood, I was very desperate to become an adult. I would always complain to my parents that I was too old for everything.
For example, I didn’t want to play on playgrounds with my younger siblings because of the fear of being judged by others for utilizing them as an older child. I was super adamant about eating off the adults’ menu whenever my family went out to eat since kids’ portions weren’t big enough. I didn’t want to watch Nickelodeon or Disney Channel and instead wanted to view content tailored for adults. During my teenage years, I hated trick-or-treating and Easter egg hunts since they were too childish for me.
However, even with all my efforts to act older, one common childhood item I’ve formed a deep connection with while growing up is stuffed animals. My attachment to my childhood stuffed animals has grown so strong that I still take care of them to this day. The thought of parting ways and giving them away is very uneasy.
As a graduate student turning 23 in January, I’m not ashamed at all to share that I still collect and cuddle stuffed animals. In my bedroom, I currently have stuffed animals living on my bed, dresser and bookshelf. Every single one of them has a special meaning. Many were gifted to me for birthdays and Christmas and others were created at Build-a-Bear. Some were even personally selected by me.
My love for stuffed animals began on the day I was born. Right after I was born, my parents gifted me a teddy bear, which was my first ever stuffed animal. To this day, that same teddy bear lives on my bed and sleeps by my side every night. Around the same time, I was given a stuffed animal rattle that looked like a bear, which was named Mr. Bear.
From toddlerhood to seventh grade, I would always suck my thumb while holding Mr. Bear. As a result, I developed a bad overbite since I’d rest my thumb on the roof of my mouth. I had to get braces, which forced me to stop sucking my thumb. Unfortunately, my dog found and destroyed Mr. Bear. For the last few years, the chewed-up rattle has been living in the bathroom closet in a Ziploc bag, with the intent of getting it fixed.
Continuing to own stuffed animals as an adult has definitely benefited me, especially because they help me manage my stress and anxiety levels. This semester, school has been more busy and stressful for me than usual, and their simple presence after a long day at school makes it easier for me to wind down. Having stuffed animals in bed produces a sense of comfort, which helps me sleep better. Most of what I have were either gifted or made at Build-a-Bear, so they constantly remind me of those carefree childhood memories.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with still having stuffed animals during adulthood. Just because I’m grown up does not mean there’s an obligation to give up the items that I formed special relationships with during my childhood.
