Cuddly toys

[RainBearr]

I decided to make a thread as I am in a bit of distress. Firstly, I am not a mother but in-fact a teenager. However, I hope that you will help me regardless.
I am currently 15 ( 16 next month) but I possess many cuddly toys (particularly build a bears that people have bought me because it's very hard to buy presents for me: Vegetarian, against animal testing, doesn't watch films etc etc But I digress...) that I just can't part with. This summer I tidied my room properly (not just shove everything in the corner) for the first time ever. My room isn't even classed as a room, it's classed as a cupboard :( So I have hardly any storage (just under the bed).
So I tidied my room and got rid of many things that I no longer use but I must admit it was pretty hard to do so.

My problem is that I can't part with these teddies, I feel like they're special and it makes my heart ache when I consider parting with them. I even recently bought a my little pony fluttershy build a bear!!

I'm pretty immature in many ways and I have anxiety which is making me panic about what I will do with my 'toys' when I have to move out. I don't think I'll ever be able to part with them. What can I do???

Also, do you think there could be something wrong with me since I love kiddie shows like Adventure Time and My Little Pony? I do most other teenagery things like parties and studying (I actually aspire to be a veterinary surgeon) except being interested in boys after an abusive relationship between the ages of 13 and 15 (2 years long- Ended the start of this year)

Please tell me if you think I have a problem and if you think I'll ever stop worrying about where I'll put my belongings when the time comes to move out.

[RainBearr]

I'd just like to add that I don't talk to them or carry them around or anything I just don't like parting with things I own I guess.
I have friends and I am otherwise a normal 15 year old, I guess

[Capitola]

If you want them, keep them.

I have a 16 year old and the difference between 15 and 16, in his case, has been stratospheric.

So don't be surprised if, in a year or 2, you're bagging up those soft toys for the charity shop without a backward glance.

[Floralnomad]

If when the time comes you can't part with them put them into large vacuum bags and store them they will literally take up minimal room in your parents loft ( or yours when the time comes) . My dd is 15 and she still has a few special cuddlies in her room and loads stored in vac bags in the loft that are too special to part with.

[iklboo]

I'm 45. I love Adventure Time, Gumball, Chowder & Regular Show. I still have some teddies from when I was little (one is as old as me). My mum has some & she's in her 60s.

Keep hold of them & see how you feel in a few years. There's no law that 'adults' can't have a few teddies.

[fridayfreedom]

We're on holiday at the moment ,dd 18 has brought her cuddly with her and will be taking a couple of cuddlies to Uni.
Don't worry, I think it's fairly usual and normal to have a few soft toys.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

DH and me still have our childhood bears and I have a build a bear that the DDs gave me for my 40th birthday.

Both DDs 13&16 sleep with their favourite cuddlies and DD2 is the most normal needs to fit in geen your ever likely to meet.

Believe me, yours won't be the only build a bears/special cuddly toys that go to uni.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Teen not geen

[crazykat]

I'm 26 and have kids and I still have teddy bears. I love tatty teddies an have quite a few that my husband has bought me and a bride and groom one from our wedding day.

There's nothing wrong with having toys no matter what your age.

You may find in a few years that you don't want them and you might still have them when you have your own children. Either way its perfectly fine.

[500internalerror]

I'm 40 & I have half a dozen special bears from when I was little, plus a few dolls at my parents house- and tons and tons more cuddlies! When I have to move them from there, they'll come into my loft here. I also have other bits & pieces from childhood - ornaments, toys, etc. I don't do anything except keep them boxed up, but I'd be gutted if I lost them.

[500internalerror]

I also remember some I had & gave away when I thought I was too grown up - and I'm gutted now :(

[punygod]

You sound like a really nice young woman, and your teddy collection is totally normal.

Don't rush to be a grown-up - it's massively overrated!

[biscuitsandbandages]

Im 34 and still have my special cuddlies from when I was little. I also have a tatty teddy from dh and a build a bear that my children made for me when I first came into hospital.

Storage is a problem but no I dont think keeping them is unusual. One of the great benefits of having kids is I now get to watch the wombles, bagpuss and mr benn without comment as really its the children watching it (yeah right) :-)

[Fubsy]

I don't think you're ever too old for cartoons - the ones you mention are certainly aimed as much at adults as at children. (Heard of Bronies? Fans of MLPFIM of all ages and genders.)

I'm 51 and I've got some plushies around the house - some steiff ones given to me as presents, some knitted and crocheted ones and some random ones. My Dd is 13 and still has some Build a Bears and various others.

You might find as you get older you feel less strongly and start to let them go - but there's no shame in keeping the ones you live the best. Its one of my big regrets that my mum made me get rid of all of mine and I didn't hang on to my favourites.

Just maybe don't keep them all on your bed when you're older - bit of a passion killer

[marne2]

I'm 32 and I love build a bear and other toys, luckily I now have 2 girls so I can take them to build a bear, my eldest dd is 10 and loves her teddies ( her bed is covered ), we went to build a bear last week and bought the my little pony and a turtle ( dd1 is a bit of a Tom boy ).

Keep your teddies, one day you might be able to share them with your children and have your own house/flat to display them in.

When I was 15 I was obsessed with a certain type of car so I collected models of that car and any toys that looked similar, last year I bought myself the real version I still have all my models and toys too.

[MrsFionaCharming]

I took my Build-a-bear to uni with me. As did all my housemates. We routinely invited them to dinner with us, and took amusing photos posing them.

My boyfriend has a large collection of cuddly spaceships.

Growing-up is over-rated and I'm not convinced anyone ever really does!

[WaxingGibbon]

Hello Rainbearr you sound like a lovely and very normal 15 year old to me. You've had some good advice on this thread - I agree with everything that others have suggested. Vacuum bags are a really good idea! Please try not to worry.

[twentyten]

Aww. My dd has tons- (17) I have a few and my mum(89!) has a collection vacuum bags sound so good idea !!