My son is 8 & sleeps with stuffed animals. Is this normal for his age? I say it's fine, my husband says no.

Question

My son is 8 years old and has about 6 stuffed animals that he sleeps with every night. Some he has won playing the claw machine at the store, another he made at Build-A-Bear several years ago, etc. I don't think it's an issue but my husband says an 8 year old boy is too old to be sleeping with anything. He just doesn't think that he's tough enough in general and this is probably one of the things that bothers him the most. Our son plays baseball and basketball, loves to roughhouse, get dirty, play videogames, do karate and wrestle but he is also very loving, loves to sing and play music and yes he loves his stuffed animals. I think it's a good thing that he's a combination of rough and tumble and loving and sweet but my husband feels that he is too different from other boys his age and just isn't "boy" enough. I just want to get some perspective to see if maybe I am the one that is wrong. I just don't think that every boy has to be tough as nails to be a healthy, normal boy.

Answer 1

Your husband needs to get over his macho crap. My son slept with stuffed animals on his bed until around 12 (actually he had one on there until he was 18 - but a girl gave that one to him). He is now 33, has 2 boys, has been married 5 years, is a pit crew member for a racing team, works as a carpenter for county govt, and is very well rounded and has great self esteem. I bet if you checked the boys out that are in your son's class, most if not all of them have some kind of stuffed animal or object that they have near or on the bed - but of course he is not able to inspect those other rooms. I also have a feeling that your husband was made fun of as a boy or was told to "buck up" when he wanted to do the same thing, and it has made a mark on him that sissies sing or have stuffed animals - or even dolls for that matter. My brother had a doll until he was about 10. He has 4 children, a great marriage, served in the military, rides a harley and works on vehicles for a living, and is the sweetest most loving dad those kids could ask for. Both my brother and son have great self esteem and are gentle and nurturing to their children as well as strong and courageous when they need to be. Tell your hubby to lighten up - not in front of your son, but in private. Stuffed animals do not harm anyone. Displaying his feelings that something is wrong with your son could harm his self esteem and affect the way he perceives things in life in general.

Answer 2

There is no problem sleeping with stuffed animals at any age if you like them (male or female). Yes, he sounds like he has a very good balance of traits between rough and tumble and loving and sweet and that will make him an exceptional man when he grows up and a fine marriage prospect for any woman.

Your husband will be doing your son a great disfavor if he takes away the stuffed animals and may scar the boy for life. Tell him to leave it alone and his son will grow up and make him very proud.

Answer 3

There is nothing wrong with your son holding on to his teddy (or whatever animal it is) at 8 years old. I think your husband thinks it's wrong because he feels it may be showing a little girly side in your son that he doesn't approve of. However, I think this is completely false. Every child has their comfort item. Once he reaches a certain age he'll toss the bear. In the meantime, encourage him to be human. Boys should be able to show their emotions too, even if it's just in hugging his teddy bear at night, or singing like you mentioned. There really is no cause for alarm and he'll grow out of it...most kids do.

Answer 4

It is normal... but be forewarned, he is coming up on the age where you will walk in one day and find he has stuffed them all in the closet. Peer pressure will very soon be rearing it's ugly head in his life. In the meantime, let him decide when it is time to put these cherished friends away. If your husband tries to force the issue, it will only cause problems.

Too many of our males were brought up with the "machismo" attitude being forced on them. My sons were fortunate, their father could cook, and do grocery shopping or almost anything and was secure enough in his manhood to not worry about it, so my sons learned to not be hung up with stereotypes. They know they are men and don't need to prove it to anyone.

Enjoy the sweetness now, because the metamorphisis will begin very soon, and you will both miss that little boy who slept with his stuffed animals!

Answer 5

Not only is it normal, but it's providing a kind of emotional security that your son will carry with him long after he's lost interest in stuffed animals.It sounds like your husband is the one suffering from insecurity and projecting his insecurities onto your son.Often times a 'macho' man will act that way to compensate for their own insecurities.Your son sounds like a normal 8 year old boy.Your hubby needs to chill out.

Answer 6

Sounds like the perfect boy to me. Too bad he's not about 10 years older. When he is, you'll certainly be seeing plenty of girls around. But yeah, it's perfectly fine for now. I'd be worried if he was 16 and still had to have his stuffed animals. Granted, I'm almost 18 and I still can't sleep without my dolls.

Answer 7

awwwww I think it's very normal...my son has a winnie the pooh he has slept with since he was 1 year old, he's almost 6 now....if he still wants it at 8, who am I to say?

I had a stuffed dog I slept with until I moved in with my husband....i STILL have that dog :P My son plays with it now, but I could never imagine actually PARTING with that dog...

I think men get their 'roughness' from their dads, and their 'loving side' from their mother's and an equality of both, is good and healthy. Your son is FINE...let him be a child, while he's still a child.

Answer 8

he sounds perfectly healthy to me.

that phrase "boy enough" reeks of socialization for a gender binary -- this is extreme, but all boys should play with gi joe and be rough -- girls should play house and have lots of barbies -- i find that really troublesome.

i personally know several people who have raised their boys allowing them the space to express their individuality, and they all turned out fine.

plenty of men are creative and musical -- but typically this is not encouraged in the mainstream enviornment -- it's seen as effminate. i think it would be a mistake to try to supress what is obviously a natural inclination and tendancy for him... if he enjoys doing creative things, that should be encouraged not repressed. he clearly is doing "boy" things -- sports, wrestling, etc.... so that should be encouraged too, allowing him some freedom to choose but still guidance, you know?

in terms of the stuffies, i don't know enough about his enviornment to say anything. probably not a big deal.
if he isn't having any other issues in school or behavior things i wouldn't worry about the stuffed animal thing.

Answer 9

There is nothing wrong with that and he will grow out of it. Do not think that u are wrong about anything. ur husband sorry is crazy.Men For some reason always don't like csrtain things that they son do or play with because they think that they are to soft or girly and etc. But that's not true. Tell u husband to let him b

Answer 10

I think it's normal for his age. My brother is 10 and still sleeps with a stuffed animal. Shoot, I used to sleep with a stuffed animal until I was 17.