OP, please don't think about this for another minute. It doesn't matter.

Yep, 39 and I also have a stuffed animal. It props my arm up just right when I sleep on my side!

I'm 53 and my little "puppy" from my 1st grade Kris Kringle is still in my bedside drawer (not in my bed because he'd fall apart)

I wonder if the issue might be the number of stuffed animals. That used to be the case with my DDs. There are a couple of things that help with the amount. First, (depending on the age of the kid), you tell them you are donating them to kids who don't have any. That way they don't imagine them going into the trash.

Secondly, regardless of age, the way to get them to pare down ANYTHING (clothes, etc) is to ask them to put them in a pile and choose X amount to keep. The way NOT to do it is to put them in a pile and choose X amount to get rid of. (Here's an analogy: It's easier to call up your good friends and tell them how you'd love to get together, than to call and tell your acquaintances that you're done with them)

DD's favorite is with her at college.

I am 55 and still have my two favorite childhood stuffed animals. They're a little sad and threadbare, and I don't sleep with them, but I couldn't part with them.

He’s male

My 19 year old has a collection of Pokémon plushies and he is cool. Don’t hover so much.

I have a stuffed dog in my bed, DD claims it too though so she often takes it to her bed which is frustrating.

Daughter is 11 and still does.

My kids (DD and DS) are in middle school and both still sleep with stuffed animals. Not on my radar. Who cares?

My 10-year-old son sleeps with about 20 of them. Never occurred to me that he was too old.

I bought a skunk with a huge long tail at Disney - literally a 4 foot long tail - it’s hugely soft and wonderful.
I’m 50 years old & I snuggle the skunk at night.
My kids also got me a stuffed dog that looks like my dog at Build A Bear.
And then of course there’s the actual dog and my cat that I snuggle with as well.
And my husband.

What???

Never!

My 13 year old got rid of most of here collection, but still has a dozen Or so that she likes cuddling up with.