Cuddly Soft Toys

Why do old churches have collections of cuddly toys for sale?

And this one actually trusts people to take the toy and place money in a wall safe.

Good idea. I do the same and the results are good, and, it works for my little girl as well. She carries her bear round with her all the time for comfort.

My small collection, lots to choose from.  

Yeah I do my Mickey mouse plushie is my everything, he makes me feel better, happy and warm and safe. Sleeping with him every night. 

The only Christmas present that my mother openly enjoyed was back in 1989, when I bought her a genuine German Hermann teddy bear at a specialist teddy bear shop.  The bear growled/purred as it was rocked like a baby.

The following Christmas, my cousin bought his mother a teddy bear.

I have four soft toys. A Tigger, an Eyeore, a Pluto and a big green dinosaur called mr snugglsaurus. I love them, they’re always there to hug. 

I even took Pluto on holiday with me this year. 

Well in the past I did the same with my old teddies called Edward and John.  Now they are sadly mouldering somewhere.  However I have a new collection of soft toys and so does my old friend of eighty one who doesn't know he is autistic or not as he's never been tested.  Yet we get on very well and I add to his collection of soft toys but he can't have mine. 

Oh, regressing is definitely not a bad thing ~ even Jesus said that the only way to enter the Kindgom of Heaven, is to become like a child  we are the lucky ones

Thank you. Re-learning how to self sooth in healthy ways is very important - in a sense I seem to be regressing into a more childlike state since my diagnosis, but I don't see that as a bad thing. As you say before I did not understand, now that I do I can do things differently X

I gave away my teddies and my onesie, and my most cherished book,  way before onesies were even a 'thing', and I can never forget that. But I have had to learn to forgive myself because for sure, if I knew then what I know now, I would have never got rid of my onesie or my teddies or my book. We have to learn to be gentle and kind to ourselves because we sure as hell don't fit into everyday 'ordinary' life and that's ok. What's not ok is not living life according to us X 

I gave away my teddies and my  childhood book, Heidi, because I thought they were my problem. I was wrong. But that's ok. We all get it wrong sometimes and what we cherish most dear, is always with us. But I know what you mean. In one sense, I could never forgive myself for giving away my beloved book and teddies. But in another, I did the best I could do at that time. And I have to learn to accept that. If I knew better, I would have done better. And so would you X 

I've been listening to him on the 1800 Seconds On Autism podcast. Lion is a useful and important part of his life.  

Yes, I’m rather obsessed with teddies. I have specific ones - one for sleeping with, ones for traveling with, one for stressful events and a couple of large ones for hugs. Then I have all of my childhood ones that I’ve not been able to let go of, and ones I’ve bought on trips that have happy memories attached to them. It’s fair to say that my room looks like that of a small child as a result! I don’t care what people think though, it’s more important that I have something in my life that gives me comfort and happiness...

My current favourite teddy for hugging is my giant unigoat, whom I am sat with right now. 

It's very distressing to be treated badly. I have a carpet bag which I like to hold - that too is very comforting. Whatever makes us feel more comfortable and secure is a good thing, I think. Too often as children we are forced to give up things we rely on because we are supposed to be too old for them. The world would be a better place if more adults retained child like qualities 

Our condition is hidden from neuro typical. not only that the way many of us have been treated or ignored to cope on our own   I had a bad encounter with Social services, was given 0 points by PIP and treated like a piece of meat at a DWP health assessment.  This has made my mental health worse until my soft toys came to the rescue.  I even took a soft toy to the GP. 

I think we should have a soft toy protest when treated badly  

The old ones are the best! 

I agree! My granny gave my teddy away to another child when I was 9 years old and she thought I was "too old" for him. Still haven't got over it (58 now!). 

I was inspired by Jamie and Lion, who I found out about on Twitter. Jamie is autistic, works for the BBC, and takes a large plush lion with him wherever he goes. 

It was when I was feeling low and suicidal at night, after talking to a 111 NHS Doctor who wasn't much use that I resorted to my soft toys and a shot of Irish cream.  I started giggling when I invisaged the look on the DWP health assessor when teddy comes along for support. The next time I am assessed by anyone teddy shall accompany me.  Its  better than any stress ball.. 

I was lucky, I kept some of my old ones and gave them to my son. My current favourites are the pigs from Minecraft and Angry Birds