Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear you. My 15 year old still sleeps with his stuffy he’s had since he was 2. He hides it, and I keep wondering when he will give it up. I thought surely before high school. Maybe college. It will be a sad day for me too. It’s hard to see them grow up

We need some kind of PSA that tells teen boys it is ok to have stuff like this. Which it 100% is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course you're sad! We all bawled our eyes out at Toy Story 3! I would keep one or two. Put them away somewhere and let him grow up but have the sentimental thing for yourself, and maybe to give him when he has a kid.

Stuffed animals don't really hold up over decades. My MIL held onto a stuffed bear for years and years that had been my DH's. When she gave it to us it was gross. I did not love it and did not want it. I think she held onto it for herself, but was never able to admit that and then toss it when the time was right. So hold on what YOU want, but definitely recognize it's for you and not your kid to take back in 20 years when they maybe have a child.

100%

Anonymous wrote:I hear you. My 15 year old still sleeps with his stuffy he’s had since he was 2. He hides it, and I keep wondering when he will give it up. I thought surely before high school. Maybe college. It will be a sad day for me too. It’s hard to see them grow up

Anonymous wrote:Parents can’t stop infantilizing their kids, it’s no wonder there are so many preteens who sleep with stuffed animals and can’t stay dry through the night. Do you still give him help taking a bath?

Anonymous wrote:I think you just have to throw them out. Donation places typically don’t have stuffed animals (bed begs, lice). I wouldn’t keep any. No teenager or young adult me wants his childhood stuffed animals. He might look at it at 21, when he graduates college and you send him the box of old stuff you still have of his, and think of it fondly, then it will get thrown away or kept on some box somewhere bc he feels guilty to throw it away but doesn’t really want it either. Just do him the favor now and toss it.

Anonymous wrote:I hear you. My 15 year old still sleeps with his stuffy he’s had since he was 2. He hides it, and I keep wondering when he will give it up. I thought surely before high school. Maybe college. It will be a sad day for me too. It’s hard to see them grow up

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 13 year old said he wants a big boy room?

NP why is that hard to believe? My kids have asked for similar.

In those words?

There have been so many bots on the teen forum that I picked up on this too. I have 13 year olds and they would not say the words “I want a big boy/girl room now”. They have absolutely asked for room refreshes, etc. but they aren’t calling anything “big boy” or “big girl”.

Thank you! The Tweens and Teens forum
is so wacky lately.

OP here. To the PPs, my son absolutely used those words, and as I said before, what of it?! If anything’s wacky, it’s that THIS is your takeaway from my post. SMDH. You both are what’s wrong with the world today.

To everyone else, thank you for your kind words and suggestions.

Anonymous wrote:He's turning 14 this summer.

He said that he wants a "big boy" room now. His room decor has been the same since he was 9.

He's ready to donate his stuffed animals. He told me last night not to buy him anymore.

I COMPLETELY understand and respect his wishes.

And I feel sad. My firstborn son is growing up. I don't know why this brings me to tears.

I don't even know why I'm posting here -- just needed someplace to put this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course you're sad! We all bawled our eyes out at Toy Story 3! I would keep one or two. Put them away somewhere and let him grow up but have the sentimental thing for yourself, and maybe to give him when he has a kid.

Stuffed animals don't really hold up over decades. My MIL held onto a stuffed bear for years and years that had been my DH's. When she gave it to us it was gross. I did not love it and did not want it. I think she held onto it for herself, but was never able to admit that and then toss it when the time was right. So hold on what YOU want, but definitely recognize it's for you and not your kid to take back in 20 years when they maybe have a child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents can’t stop infantilizing their kids, it’s no wonder there are so many preteens who sleep with stuffed animals and can’t stay dry through the night. Do you still give him help taking a bath?

I don't know why you associate stuffed animals with anything except comfort and memories. Maybe someone hurt you as a kid and made you grow up too fast? Both my parents had cabbage patch kids and stuffed animals, they were very successful mature adults. My wife and I do too, and we're extremely successful adults. There's no difference between having them and other sentimental stuff adults keep.

OP keep them in a closet a bit in case your kid changes their mind. Then if you donate, keep some of the favorites like many others have said. It doesn't take up much space and it'll bring back great memories someday if he's sick or he has kids.