What's normal?

[Melody]

MY 22 month old son doesn't like stuffed animals very much. He does sleep with a pooh bear and another stuffed bear and his size Mickey Mouse *must* come with him in the bike trailer. Other than that he doesn't seem to have a real attachment to an animal or blanket. Good thing right? But what about a game control??? LOL I know it sounds silly that I am asking but he does seem to have a real thing with a nintendo control. I know he wants to be like the big kids and play the games even though he hasn't seen them play it very much because he "gets in the way" so they play in their room. So the little guy has a control without a cord that he will carry everywhere. I thought it was cute until last night when he didn't want to go to bed because he wanted his 'game'. I do not want to start with toys in the bed so he had to deal without it. Just wondering if it's normal or wierd I guess. And if you think I have anything to worry about when he is older? I mean, I do limit the boys on games but should I start to limit the baby on having this game control?
I'm having a self-doubt- good-mommy day I guess!

[AnnW]

I don't think this is an indicator that he will have an addiction to video games anymore than liking stuffed animals lead to problems later. Shoot, my ds' first 'lovey' was a diaper! A friend's dd carried around silk slips!
If it was a teddy bear, would you let him sleep with it?

[Beth/TX]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

It sounds like it really doesn't have anything to do with "playing" games from his perspective. It seems more like he thinks of the game controller as something cool that his big brothers use. By playing with it himself, maybe it makes him feel "big" too?

[RCT]

Totally normal,
DD loved the play phone,
DS well, it was the Dirt Devil

No they don't remember!

[imamama]

I can see where your concern lies regarding video game addiction, but as said above, it's really not about the game. It's wanting to have or do something the bigger kids do, and forming an attachment to something. I agree with Ann, would you be concerned if it was a teddy bear? Even though I'm no expert, I think he's well within the normal parameters of toddlerhood!

[JAK]

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I don't know that I would let him sleep with the controller though if it still has the cord attached. That way he wouldn't strangle himself in his sleep!

[Melody]

Thank you!
Ann, I had to laugh at the diaper lovey. Too funny!
He did not go looking for the control yesterday but boy was he happy to find one at my bil's when they babysat for us in the afternoon. LOL
Yes, I would let him take it to bed if it was a teddy bear, at least those are soft. I will take it out of hiding today. Thanks again.

[Diane]

I've had day care kids who have attached themselves to weird stuff. Right now I have a 2-1/2 year old who is attached to one of those metal lunch boxes. She carries that darn thing all over the place with her. A few months ago the baby I took care of (1) was attached to one of his dad's socks. His mom told me she was happy with that considering his first choice had been one of her bra's. LOL My nephew use to carry my sister's shoe around with him and would get mad when she wanted it back to wear. 8o 8o Nothing comfy about sleeping with a stinky shoe. LOL Sometimes what they pick/choose may not make any sense to us but it does to them... and I guess that's all that matters. LOL

Diane...

[Melody]

I think in that case I would be happy for the switch to socks too! LOL

[aztec_judy]

Oh my such a variance of attachments... lolol
Am very glad mine were only attached to either their stuffed bunnies or their little crocheted blankets (that I had a dickens of a time getting away from them to wash... lolol)

But most attachments they do grow out of, eventually. As long as you dont' make a big deal over it or attempt to force it away from them. lololol

[SpeechMom]

At least its an object - my youngest ds loves people's ears!!! I can remember sitting on the bleachers at one of his older brother's baseball games and turning to see him touching the ear of the man next to us!!