On a strange transitional object...

[Editor's note: This, like all posts that date prior to January 9, 2007, was originally posted at my former Woebegotten Wonderland blog that was destroyed for many very good reasons and a few pretty pathetic ones. They will all be labeled as "re-runs" here. I apologize for the blatant recycling hack-job, but the truth is I don't write that much and some of this stuff is probably better than I am likely to write any time soon. It seemed such a shame to let it go to waste.]

I've often heard that most children have a "transitional object". This is something dear to them, that often will remind them of their parents' love, and make them feel secure. Often these objects are blankets, and thus called "security blankets". I had a blanket that my grandmother made for me that served this purpose. My nephew had a stuffed duck. I don't recall what, if any, transitional objects Josh and Maggie (my two oldest children) had. Some children never have a transitional object, and so it is possible that neither of them did.

These objects are often clung to, especially in a new and unfamiliar environment. It is said that these objects essential provide a similar level of comfort to their possessor that having a parent with them would.

My youngest son Caleb has a transitional object. He sleeps with it. He takes it with him in his car seat. Everywhere Caleb goes, this object must be with him. If it isn't, there will be hell to pay for whoever is responsible for its absence.

This object is not a blanket. He has many blankets available to him, but he is indifferent to their presence unless he is cold.

This object is not a doll or stuffed animal. Both my wife and I have saved most of our childhood toys, especially dolls and stuffed animals. Our families have also purchased many dolls and stuffed animals for our children. We have more floating around our house than I could possibly keep track of. But Caleb is as indifferent to the dolls and stuffed animals as he is to the blankets. Unless it is one of Maggie's dolls and it would start a fight with her for him to take it.

What Caleb will not part with. For any reason. EVER. Is his lightsaber. Caleb has a toy lightsaber (several, actually- but only one that really serves as the transitional object) that we bought for him before he was born (we didn't want him to come into the family as the only one without a lightsaber). He takes it to school. He takes it to church. He takes it on trips. He takes it to bed. He watches movies holding it. It is never to be out of his sight. He quite simply will not live without it.

What a little geek I've raised. This father could not be more proud.