Send help! Lovie has gone missing and my life isn’t worth living

Posted in Behaviour and Discipline.
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My toddler has a ‘lovie’, a faded blue baby blanket that he has latched onto like it’s a second me. He asks for Lovie when he’s upset. He rolls around with it when drifting off to sleep. Lovie even accompanies him to kindy. But yesterday, Lovie went missing. Now if your little one also has a security item, then you’ll understand my panic.

The power of Lovie

Lots of little ones have lovies. For some, it’s a blankie, or it is a cuddly soft toy (usually irreplaceable because it was won at the Easter Show or the like) but for others, they can latch onto the most bizarre objects — my friend’s toddler always has his beloved wooden spoon with him. 

Whatever their lovie is, it carries superpowers. A lovie has the ability to soothe, put to sleep and to reassure our little people when we aren’t around. It’s got mum powers!

Toddler cuddling stuffed bear

When Lovie goes missing

The world is just not right to a toddler when their lovie goes missing, even for a short time. For instance, I have to time when I wash my toddler’s lovie. Too late in the day and I know it won’t be dry in time for his day sleep. And I know he can’t sleep without Lovie. 

So imagine my panic when Lovie wasn’t in all the usual places yesterday? My tot started to panic too, wailing, “Lovieee, where are youuu?”

We searched the house. We looked under the couches. I even emptied the washing baskets in case it had been bundled up in one of my speed cleaning sessions. But no, Lovie was gone. 

When Lovie is irreplaceable

When I offered my distraught toddler some telly time as I continued to search, he wanted Lovie by his side. 

“I know, you can have this other special lovie!” I offered, handing him another old baby blanket in a lighter of shade of blue.

“Nooooo. I need MY Lovie” he wailed.

There can only ever be one lovie. Or can there?

I know of other desperate mums like me who have stocked up on their little one’s lovie for those times when it needs a wash or has been left at the park. This is great if lovie happens to come from Kmart and can easily be replaced. But most lovies seem to be irreplaceable, like the old falling-apart hand-knitted doll that my friend’s little one clutches whenever he rides in the pram. How do you replace that? 

Then we found it! And the world was right again

Thankfully Lovie turned up just before bedtime last night. We’d left it in the car. Today though I am contemplating snipping it in half so we always have a spare on hand.

I don’t think I can deal with another missing lovie ordeal!

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