My daughter who will be 9 in april has developed this weird obession within the last 3 yrs. She thinks all her stuffed animals are real, and they talk. She truly believes they are like humans! She is especially attached to one called "pink Panther" he's a panther and he's pink with white dots all over him. He's so filthy, and needs to be cleaned in the washer, but she won't allow it! She thinks he will drown in the washer.
One time she asked me to hand him to her, and I picked him up and kinda tossed him to her in the air. OMG this was the wrong thing to do. She completly freaked out on me. Saying I scared him, and she thought I broke his leg by throwing him that way! she was crying hysterically, and she said she hated my guts and pink panther did to.
She never takes him with her when she stays the night at a friends house out of fear they will tease her or be mean to him. But she calls all day and night asking me about him. If he's eaten dinner, ect.
It's just weird.
2007-12-15 08:55:48 · 27 answers · asked by chicata25 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
My daughter has plenty of friends, and she gets tons of attention from her parents. I work when she's at school so I can be home with her when she gets home.
she doesn't call about pink panther at school. It's when she stays the night at a friends house. She checks up on him to make sure he being taken care of I guess.
2007-12-15 09:17:34 · update #1
It's normal. She's just really imaginative. Just humour her and she'll grow out of it. Just tell her that he needs to be washed because he hasn't been swimming in a long time and the pink panther likes swimming. Also tell her that he is well taken care of so she doesn't need to call you to make sure.
2007-12-15 09:21:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Does she have any live pets she takes care of? That could be why she is so attached to the stuffed ones. There is nothing "wrong" with her, maybe not as "mature" as some nine year olds but I wouldn't label her as having any "problems" because from what you say it doesn't sound as if she does. The panther is her favorite and being so large she can't haul him around when she goes away, she obviously doesn't feel a seperation anxiety badly there.
My daughter is almost 22 years old and STILL takes her stuffed dog with her wherever she goes. On school trips (she's in college) and seminars, weekends with friends, vacations etc. I wold wash the poor thing but after 22 years I'm afraid there wouldn't be much left other than some lint and fuzz. By the way...my daughter is a member of MENSA...see below
2007-12-16 17:16:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If this has gone on for three years before you though there might be a problem, I don't think the problem is with your daughter.
You put up with the nonsense too long.
There is nothing wrong with playing with stuffed animals and pretending they are real or having them "talk". I am 30 and i still do this (granted, usually when I am playing with my daughter).
Calling home when you should be at school to check on your stuffed animals is taking it too far.
Because you have allowed this extreme level of play for three years, you have to admit that you are part of the problem.
That is step one.
Step two is to work on reducing your daughters attachment to these toys. wash them while she is at school or a friends house. Reduce the amount of time she is allowed to play with them each day. Send Pink Panther on a vacation if you have too.
There will be yealling and screaming and crying. Deal with it. If you give in, she will continue to have this unhealthy amount of control over you.
If after a month you are still having problems, seek professional help.
2007-12-15 17:04:51 · answer #3 · answered by Matthew Stewart 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
First off she doesn't need therapy. She's nine i mean would you like someone to ask you WHY you enjoy having a friend or a responsibility?
SHe will outgrow it i had the exact same thing when i was little. Just acknowledge her caring about the well being of something and be glad shes not playing with bratz or that stuff the way she is about an stuffed animal.
2007-12-15 23:34:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some children have wild imaginations and others are dolts. So be happy that the child is inquisitive, and acts through her friend the " Pink Panther". Some day she will stop. It is a matter of growing up.
2007-12-15 17:09:52 · answer #5 · answered by googie 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's weird, but maybe not so abnormal? Many times kids have imaginary friends or give "life" to objects when they have unresolved issues... these things take them away from reality for a while... i am not saying this is your daughter's case... but it was mine....
If you are concerned, you surely could make an appointment to talk with her doctor privately... if he wants to see her, then take her in....
That's my best answer, hon. I hope you get some good answers here.
2007-12-15 22:55:10 · answer #6 · answered by letterstoheather 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hopefully it is just a phase. But your right, a little abnormal. Mabe try to get her a new "thing" like mabe get her a house plant, that might make her forget about the stuffed animals. Or, get rid of them, i know it might seem mean but, it would break her obsession.
2007-12-15 17:01:30 · answer #7 · answered by LjC 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Maybe get her a small pet,(hampster,bunny,mouse,)something small and fuzzy for her to take care of.Maybe that will help with the obsession of taking care of her stuffed toys like they are real.
2007-12-15 20:37:37 · answer #8 · answered by am 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shes 9!! Its time to break it to her that they are not real!
Deep down im sure she knows they are not real. Are there underlying factors which would perpetuate her attachment to these animals?
Tell her its time to be a big girl and donate it to another child who maybe wont get toys for xmas. Theres an idea!
2007-12-15 17:18:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
well things you can do would be,
1. you said she was turning 9 right? well lets see...try getting her to really love something else.
2. for example, does she like a perticular sport, or maybe take her on the best vacation she will ever have...
good luck....
2007-12-15 17:02:01 · answer #10 · answered by Joey D 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋