Lovey, Your Child’s Safety: How to Replace a Lost Stuffed Toy and Keep Your Favorite Stuffed Animals Safe
One day, her little boy receives a stuffed animal as a gift. The plush toy is cute and soft, so you won’t be at all surprised when your child happily accepts this gift. While you have many other stuffed animals in your home, over the next couple of weeks you will begin to notice that this particular one has slowly become your child’s constant companion. The other stuffed animals are still used for play, but this is the one your child simply wants to have around, to cuddle and tuck into at bedtime. Your child has found a lovey!
A security or transition object can be a wonderful part of childhood; Many adults have fond memories of the comfort a special stuffed animal gave them growing up. The attachment that a child feels for his love means that the loss of this element can be intensely distressing, both for the child and for the parents.
There are a few steps you can take to minimize the risk of your child’s special stuffed animal being lost and to increase the chances of being able to provide an identical replacement should the item be lost. The most important thing is to take these steps as soon as you notice that your child has chosen a lovey.
1. Establish the rule that love cannot leave the house; this alone will greatly reduce the chance of it getting lost. Let your child choose a different stuffed animal to take to daycare or the store with the firm explanation that love should stay at home. Some children like to make a routine of placing their loved one in a window to “watch” for it to come home, or putting the loved one in a special place on a shelf so they can easily find it when they return home.
2. Tag that cutie! Despite his best efforts, the stuffed animal will likely be taken out of the house at some point, so you want it tagged in some way. Some parents simply write their cell phone number on the tag of the stuffed animal, along with the words “if found, please call…”. Be careful not to put too much information on the toy; A phone number or generic email address must be included.
3. Buy a backup (or two)! The reason people have such a hard time finding a replacement love is that a line of stuffed animals is usually only sold for a short time before being retired to make way for newer designs. The longer a stuffed animal has been off store shelves, the harder it is to find one to buy. If the stuffed animal you’re looking for was recalled very recently, you may be able to find one by talking to managers at retail stores that previously sold the item. Sometimes they will be willing to check if they still have extra stock in the back. A call to the company that made the stuffed animal can produce results in the form of information on where the item can still be purchased, or even an opportunity to get the stuffed animal directly from the company.
4. Know the details! I’ve talked to parents who are desperate to find a replacement for a lovey, but don’t know the brand or any other information that would allow me to help them. Take a minute and write down the brand, the store it was purchased from, the year, a model number, basically any identifying information, and then keep this note in a safe place. If you need it, you will be glad you have it!
5. Take photos! Take some photos of the lovey for yourself. These can come in handy if love is lost, either so other people can keep an eye on the stuffed animal or to help you find an identical one to buy.
Following these simple steps can reduce the chances of a special stuffed animal being lost and improve the chances of a lost love being found.