Introducing a pillow

[jessmarree]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to see what people's views/experiences are with introducing a pillow to toddlers. I'm just trying to get some info about introducing one to my 16 month old boy

Thanx !!

 

[apesfordana]

Hey there Jess -

Not sure what you're finding out there, but on personal experience, I knew my boy was ready for a pillow when he started putting things under his head to sleep. He'd ball up blankets, use stuffed animals, his arms...

When we give him a pillow - probably before he was a year old - we gave him a well used thin pillow. Not anything to thick or fluffy. They sell toddler sized pillows, but I honestly never wanted to buy much that my son would grow out of. So an old pillow it was - cleaned of course :O). He's five now and still uses the same pillow even though we've bought newer ones since.

If he's 16months, is he showing signs of discomfort when sleeping? During naps, does he use pillows or animals for his head? We just went again & put a pillow in my son's crib one day, didn't put his head on it or anything... just let him decide if he wanted it. If your boy is like mine was at that age, and if he's still in a crib.. I'll bet you find him sleeping at any angle and position. I wouldn't worry about giving him a pillow - just nothing so big or fluffy that his next is at a crazy angle. Shouldn't be anything thicker than his shoulder. And if you're worried about the pillow case, we never had any issues but you could leave it off for a while or find one that zips.

 

[hre4s]

Used pillow is a good idea - the older a pillow gets, the better comfort it gives. I know I had a pillow which was perfect, smaller than normal and it was a perfect sleeping partner for me until it was taken away from me. I did have withdrawal effect to lose it.

But children tend to form a relationship with their accessories - so its not that easy to break that emotional attachment with their stuff. I still had my old toys tucked in somewhere as the emotional connect was so strong for me to let those part from me.

I believe Change management starts from a very early age. Parents have to take care about it.

What do you think is a good idea of getting babies and children move away from old stuff and adapt new things and Change..?

 

[aliyawilson]

What do you think is a good idea of getting babies and children move away from old stuff and adapt new things and Change..?

Yeah! its a pretty good idea. With that your kid learn some facts about life. One of those that always you have to move on.

 

[apesfordana]

Getting babies & children to move away from old stuff & adapt new things & change....

wow, that question made me think of my son's first pair of new shoes after he grew out of is very very VERY favorite shoes. He cried and screamed and refused to try on new shoes. He would have trashed the store with his fit if I let him... It was quite an ordeal to be able to walk out of the store with something - but it had to be done.

So what do I think is a good idea of getting them to move on - I think you pick your battles & makes sure they can find the positive in changing. I don't make my boy get rid of his pillow. Like I said, we've bought him new pillows - he refuses to use anything but his original pillow. Oh well. It's more important that his bed is a safe and comfortable place for him. He also still sleeps with a blanket that was on his toddler bed by the way...

But he grew out of those shoes - He couldn't hold on to those forever. So He had to get through that. It was tough, but he got to learn that he can love the next pair too. And the next pair is more comfortable. And people compliment him on how cool he looked - 'oh yeahhhh' . Learning that tough lesson helped him get through the next one a little better. The key was preparing him for the change, explaining the benefits, listening to his side - if he can express it properly, being patient, giving him options - when possible, and providing positive reenforcement before, during & ongoing.

And when you have a child that takes change even harder than 'normal' kids that already have a tough time - you have be more patient but also more diligent. 'Normal' kids will often suck it up & push through. Other kids whose entire world is turned over when the smallest thing is out of place... well, they still have to experience change. They still have to learn ways to adapt. And parents have to champion those efforts and work through the melt downs and tentrums.

The only thing you can count on in life is that things change. The earlier you start teaching and nurturing that, the better for your child... and YOU! But with that, sometimes its OK to hang on to something or someone a little too tight or a little too long - expecially if it helps you with the rest