Do you have a toy animal as your comfort object from your childhood? Is it still in your apartment? I8o, you are not alone. 60% of small children have Teddies and other comfort objects, and up to 35% of adults!
Conventional wisdom from the 1970s suggested kids depending on comfort objects somehow lacked secure attachment to their mothers，and that this dependence would threaten their proper development into well-adjusted adults.
However, not too long ago，studies began to show that comfort objects don't threaten children' mental health, and may indeed be developmentally advantageous. Children with comfort objects are les shy and more focused than those without them. This is probably because with their presence, children feel braver and less stressed in unfamiliar situations.
Even newer research shows only when a toy is his or her comfort object do children anthropomorphize(人格化)it. That s, having an emotional attachment to the comfort object causes children to think of it as a human-like friend, who they can practice telling stories to and share joy and sorrow with. Sometimes they even think from the perspective of this unnatural friend.
Comfort objects are not just soft things for children to grab when they feel sad or lonely. They mean something special to them. So, far from being "wacky toddler (学步儿童) behavior", choosing a comfort object and treating it as a sacred part of daily life is actually extremely popular behavior on the part of small children. If you have a comfort animal, or meet a kid who has one, let the hugs begin.
