Comforts

I know many kids that get attached to animals, blankets, etc., as both security items and comfort items. I myself love blankets. I don't carry one around, but I love going home and being wrapped up in one even if it is 90 degrees out. I just love my blankets. My husband, I have no idea what his security item is. I don't think he has one. I knew that when he was a little kid he would go to sleep by circling his finger in a small hole in his room. After a while, the hole got bigger and bigger. He doesn't do that now...at least I don't think. I haven't looked behind my headboard to see. My son on the other hand has a more interesting way to comfort himself, he picks and sniffs fuzz.

Yes I said it, he really likes to sniff and pick fuzz. It really doesn't matter where the fuzz comes from either be it stuffed animals, soft blankets, sweaters, rugs, slippers, dogs, etc., It is like it is his coping mechanism of some sorts. I can easily spot for instance if I am at my parents house for a family gathering or at my friends house where my son will resort to getting his next fuzz pick. If you have a very woolly sweater, then be prepared to be randomly picked at (sorry). If you have a dog (I keep thinking about my friend's dog Gracie on this one) then his/her fur will be picked for a sniff.

It is sort of entertaining, but sometimes like if someone does not know my son, like at a social gathering, and he just goes and picks some fuzz from that person that can be a little embarrassing. It is his thing though. I just wonder how long he will do this fuzz picking thing. I also wondered where he got this fuzz picking thing like if I did that when I was a kid or my husband did that as a kid. After asking both my mother and mother in law, they never saw their kids do that. After some further investigation, I found out that it was my Dad's coping mechanism. I couldn't ask to many specifics on this fuzz picking practice, because both my Dad's parents are gone. I did however conclude after seeing my Dad's childhood bud, Pink Ears the Bunny that perhaps this little comfort item of picking fuzz probably came from him. Poor Pink Ears had very little fur on different spots of his body and where Mr. Pink Ears had clothing, he had more fur. Pink Ears looked like he had the mange. I wonder how many of my sons stuffed animals will resemble that in years to come.

I honestly don't care that my son has his own little ways to comfort himself, with the exception of picking a stranger's fuzz. I just wonder how long it will last. I can say that I can't remember nor see my Dad picking fuzz and sniffing it, so I don't think it will be something my son goes into adulthood doing.

Do you have a interesting comfort/security method or item you have?