30 Oct 2011, 11:52 am
LtlPinkCoupe
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03 Jan 2012, 1:13 pm
I always liked doing that - taking small plushies with me wherever I went. I've always preferred to carry around smaller plushies, for two reasons...one, my larger plushies, while very soft and friendly, would be a bit cumbersome, and two, smaller plushies (say, Beanie Babies for example) are easily hidden in pockets/bags/backpacks.
My mother and stepfather didn't like my taking a small plushie around with me at all, and tried to "punish" it away....I remember vividly how I brought my tiny Stuart Little plush to school with me, and when my stepfather came to pick me up, I took Stuart out of my backpack and began saying sweet nothings to him to comfort him after being confined to a bag all day - you must understand, I NEVER took whichever plushie I brought to school with me - My Mushu plushie, my Kaa plushie, my Pikachu plushie - out of my backpack during the day...I was content to just be assured that it was safe in my backpack. I didn't have that many friends that I trusted/was particularly close to at school, so this was my way of always having a friend nearby. 
When I was a bit younger, I did have a plushie of Panic from Disney's Hercules that I carried around, but during school, he stayed in my desk. I never called any attention to my plush friends.
Regardless of any of that, when my stepfather saw Stuart, he hit the roof, seized him from me, and told me Stuart was spending the night in the glove compartment of his car. From my perspective, this was extremely arbitrary and cruel, and I worried all night that Stuart was frightened and was upset at me for allowing this to happen. Finally I was able to comfort myself by remembering how brave he had been in the movie based on the book, and he was returned to me the next day after school.
Contrary to what my stepfather hoped for, that little fiasco didn't discourage me from taking my plushies places with me - it just made me more covert in how I did it. I'm going to be 20 in less than 2 months and I still take my little plush dolphin, Dory, with me everywhere in my shoulder bag. As they say in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, "No one should travel without a porpoise." 
I still have my Stuart Little plushie, too. I've kept him for 11 years now.
MONKEY
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04 Jan 2012, 11:06 am
Rabbitears takes his toys to the toilet.
rabbitears
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04 Jan 2012, 11:41 am
I always take a small pocket sized parasaurolophus toy with me everywhere. I very often take other figures with me as well, usually two or three. I do this especially if I'm going somewhere for a day trip or somewhere I really like, to share the experience.
I think I treat them like real organisms because toys etc were a substitute for many years for me when I didn't have many friends at all and I found them very comforting to have (still do). Also as dinosaurs are my main interest, and parasaurolophi are my favourite (signature dinosaur) it makes sense. But I think many people, if they were to know, would see it as quite creepy and wrong for me to take out figures at the age of 20. When it's people I don't know and are unlikely to see again, I don't care. But when it's family and local people, I don't want them thinking I'm a freak. Luckily for me, there are some people in my life that fully accept my ways.
Maybe you could subtly encourage your child to carry smaller and smaller toys, until they are pocket sized. It should still be a major comfort for them.
And yes, I do take my dinosaur figures with me to the toilet. I'd miss them otherwise. I like to also take them with me around the house and arrange them into nice symmetrical herds and look at them constantly and pick them up and handle them as they are just so tactile and aesthetically pleasing. I also say goodnight to them and give many of them an individual kiss before I go to bed. This can take between 10 and 15 minutes, but I don't feel right if I don't do it.
_________________
THINGS I LIKE
Parasaurolophus, Plesiosaurs, Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Music, Tuna, Chocolate milk, Oreos, Blue things
Parasaurolophuscolobus. Parasaurcolobus. Colobusaurolophus.
....And Nunchucks are my friends.
LtlPinkCoupe
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04 Jan 2012, 2:35 pm
I think I treat them like real organisms because toys etc were a substitute for many years for me when I didn't have many friends at all and I found them very comforting to have (still do). Also as dinosaurs are my main interest, and parasaurolophi are my favourite (signature dinosaur) it makes sense. But I think many people, if they were to know, would see it as quite creepy and wrong for me to take out figures at the age of 20. When it's people I don't know and are unlikely to see again, I don't care. But when it's family and local people, I don't want them thinking I'm a freak. Luckily for me, there are some people in my life that fully accept my ways.
Maybe you could subtly encourage your child to carry smaller and smaller toys, until they are pocket sized. It should still be a major comfort for them.
And yes, I do take my dinosaur figures with me to the toilet. I'd miss them otherwise. I like to also take them with me around the house and arrange them into nice symmetrical herds and look at them constantly and pick them up and handle them as they are just so tactile and aesthetically pleasing. I also say goodnight to them and give many of them an individual kiss before I go to bed. This can take between 10 and 15 minutes, but I don't feel right if I don't do it.
I like Parasaurolophi, too, Rabbitears....they're a very majestic kind of dinosaur.
I also really liked Duckie in The Land Before Time.
That's also nice how you like to wish each individual one good night...I used to do something like that with my collection of die cast Disney Cars - before I'd amassed so many that it would take too much time to to speak with each one!
In addition, I think encouraging your child to bring pocket - sized toys that are still a comfort a great idea, too.
04 Jan 2012, 10:32 pm
I took one with me today at college. 
05 Jan 2012, 2:12 am
No worries. We won't judge you! With kiddos it is a bit different because they are still learning when they need to put it away and listen, and when it is okay to think about it. The older you get, the easier it is to control that.
05 Jan 2012, 2:50 am
LtlPinkCoupe I think that was horrible of your step father. I would have done the same, worry all night. To me and to my now 9 year old son who also has AS my plush animals were real. I still sleep with a stuffed Orca and he does have a name and as you can see I do call him he as if he is real. He is very comforting to me. Im in the hospital again right now....not a fun Christmas or New Years....went to the ER the day after NY. I have an auto immune disease and I was having a huge increase in pain and my leg stopped working due to increase in inflammation pushing on my nerves.
My son is allowed to take two of his plushies to school and therapy (most days he goes half a day at school which is a specialized school and half a day at therapy). Wednesday is battle top day at therapy (no school on Wednesday) so that is very exciting for him....he has switched from Pokemon to battle tops recently. His stuffies are very important to him just as mine were to me but we and his teacher have gone over the rules with him. They stay in his back pack until play time or if he is upset....he is very good about following the rules.
My 6 year old daughter who has classic autism is having more issues at school and we would like her to have her squishy sensory toys but her teacher says no toys at school and she is one of those "I must follow the rules" autie's so she will refuse to take her sensory toys. We are moving her to my sons school next year, they thought she would do better in the public school as she has a high IQ and no academic issues (my son has dyslexia) but she is having a lot of problems...another story. We got her to take her chewlery that helps with her anxiety as that is more like jewlery and ok with her. She has a strong need to chew so if she doesnt have those she will chew on everything else like pencils and clothes, ect.
I think if you have an understanding between you, the teacher and your child than things will be fine. Again poo on LtlPinkCoupe's step Dad....he should have had to spend the night in the trunk of his car and see how he liked it 
LtlPinkCoupe
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05 Jan 2012, 1:04 pm
My son is allowed to take two of his plushies to school and therapy (most days he goes half a day at school which is a specialized school and half a day at therapy). Wednesday is battle top day at therapy (no school on Wednesday) so that is very exciting for him....he has switched from Pokemon to battle tops recently. His stuffies are very important to him just as mine were to me but we and his teacher have gone over the rules with him. They stay in his back pack until play time or if he is upset....he is very good about following the rules.
My 6 year old daughter who has classic autism is having more issues at school and we would like her to have her squishy sensory toys but her teacher says no toys at school and she is one of those "I must follow the rules" autie's so she will refuse to take her sensory toys. We are moving her to my sons school next year, they thought she would do better in the public school as she has a high IQ and no academic issues (my son has dyslexia) but she is having a lot of problems...another story. We got her to take her chewlery that helps with her anxiety as that is more like jewlery and ok with her. She has a strong need to chew so if she doesnt have those she will chew on everything else like pencils and clothes, ect.
I think if you have an understanding between you, the teacher and your child than things will be fine. Again poo on LtlPinkCoupe's step Dad....he should have had to spend the night in the trunk of his car and see how he liked it
Thank you for your kind words, liloleme...I would never do that to a child of mine, either....it's on the same level as a big kid snatching a toy away from a baby.
I think it's wonderful that your son is allowed to bring the plushies/toys that comfort him to school - it must make school seem like a much friendlier environment...like schools are supposed to be.
I have a special stuffed orca, too - he's from IKEA, and his name is Namu. I named him after an orca from one of those Ivan Tors nature films from the 60s.
And I'm really sorry you're not feeling well right now - being sick during the holidays is certainly no fun.
I hope you start to feel better soon! 
rabbitears
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05 Jan 2012, 2:29 pm
I think I treat them like real organisms because toys etc were a substitute for many years for me when I didn't have many friends at all and I found them very comforting to have (still do). Also as dinosaurs are my main interest, and parasaurolophi are my favourite (signature dinosaur) it makes sense. But I think many people, if they were to know, would see it as quite creepy and wrong for me to take out figures at the age of 20. When it's people I don't know and are unlikely to see again, I don't care. But when it's family and local people, I don't want them thinking I'm a freak. Luckily for me, there are some people in my life that fully accept my ways.
Maybe you could subtly encourage your child to carry smaller and smaller toys, until they are pocket sized. It should still be a major comfort for them.
And yes, I do take my dinosaur figures with me to the toilet. I'd miss them otherwise. I like to also take them with me around the house and arrange them into nice symmetrical herds and look at them constantly and pick them up and handle them as they are just so tactile and aesthetically pleasing. I also say goodnight to them and give many of them an individual kiss before I go to bed. This can take between 10 and 15 minutes, but I don't feel right if I don't do it.
I like Parasaurolophi, too, Rabbitears....they're a very majestic kind of dinosaur.
I also really liked Duckie in The Land Before Time.
That's also nice how you like to wish each individual one good night...I used to do something like that with my collection of die cast Disney Cars - before I'd amassed so many that it would take too much time to to speak with each one!
In addition, I think encouraging your child to bring pocket - sized toys that are still a comfort a great idea, too.
WOW! Another person likes parasaurolophi!
And even though Duckie is supposed to be a Parasaurolophus ( I think? - It's been ages since I watched any of those films) he looks way too much like a Saurolophus, what with the upward pointing spike-like crest.
Enough from me now.... I'll set myself off. Back to the toys!
_________________
THINGS I LIKE
Parasaurolophus, Plesiosaurs, Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Music, Tuna, Chocolate milk, Oreos, Blue things
Parasaurolophuscolobus. Parasaurcolobus. Colobusaurolophus.
....And Nunchucks are my friends.
LtlPinkCoupe
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Location: In my room, where it's safe
05 Jan 2012, 2:51 pm
I think I treat them like real organisms because toys etc were a substitute for many years for me when I didn't have many friends at all and I found them very comforting to have (still do). Also as dinosaurs are my main interest, and parasaurolophi are my favourite (signature dinosaur) it makes sense. But I think many people, if they were to know, would see it as quite creepy and wrong for me to take out figures at the age of 20. When it's people I don't know and are unlikely to see again, I don't care. But when it's family and local people, I don't want them thinking I'm a freak. Luckily for me, there are some people in my life that fully accept my ways.
Maybe you could subtly encourage your child to carry smaller and smaller toys, until they are pocket sized. It should still be a major comfort for them.
And yes, I do take my dinosaur figures with me to the toilet. I'd miss them otherwise. I like to also take them with me around the house and arrange them into nice symmetrical herds and look at them constantly and pick them up and handle them as they are just so tactile and aesthetically pleasing. I also say goodnight to them and give many of them an individual kiss before I go to bed. This can take between 10 and 15 minutes, but I don't feel right if I don't do it.
I like Parasaurolophi, too, Rabbitears....they're a very majestic kind of dinosaur.
I also really liked Duckie in The Land Before Time.
That's also nice how you like to wish each individual one good night...I used to do something like that with my collection of die cast Disney Cars - before I'd amassed so many that it would take too much time to to speak with each one!
In addition, I think encouraging your child to bring pocket - sized toys that are still a comfort a great idea, too.
WOW! Another person likes parasaurolophi!
And even though Duckie is supposed to be a Parasaurolophus ( I think? - It's been ages since I watched any of those films) he looks way too much like a Saurolophus, what with the upward pointing spike-like crest.
Enough from me now.... I'll set myself off. Back to the toys!
Yes, that's true - Duckie's crest does have that upward curve, and she and the other adult "Swimmers" in LBT have beak - like mouths. I think you're right that she and the others like her in LBT are actually Saurolophi - that's how they describe them on Wikipedia.
rabbitears
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05 Jan 2012, 3:19 pm
I forgot to mention that I have a little yellow Para called Duckie.
_________________
THINGS I LIKE
Parasaurolophus, Plesiosaurs, Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Music, Tuna, Chocolate milk, Oreos, Blue things
Parasaurolophuscolobus. Parasaurcolobus. Colobusaurolophus.
....And Nunchucks are my friends.
05 Jan 2012, 3:37 pm
1)be small enough to fit in her backpack
2)not make any noise
The rules were simple and unvarying, an autistic child's preferred type of rule. The teachers figured out a way to work with it. They used the toy as a reward for after a particular task had been completed (quasi-ABA). The toy stayed in the backpack and came out to be played with after doing the work.
Then either stay home and play with your toys, or leave the toys at home and learn to cope without them.
I would have never been able to function, let alone cope if my parents had your attitude. I needed to learn to cope on my own terms. But then I really basicaly pretty LFA as a little kid.
agree with you definetly, If my mum had that attitude with me It would have lead to massive meltdowns, children have feelings do, they don't just do things to try make your life harder.
jeeezee D:
LtlPinkCoupe
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05 Jan 2012, 4:26 pm
1)be small enough to fit in her backpack
2)not make any noise
The rules were simple and unvarying, an autistic child's preferred type of rule. The teachers figured out a way to work with it. They used the toy as a reward for after a particular task had been completed (quasi-ABA). The toy stayed in the backpack and came out to be played with after doing the work.
Then either stay home and play with your toys, or leave the toys at home and learn to cope without them.
I would have never been able to function, let alone cope if my parents had your attitude. I needed to learn to cope on my own terms. But then I really basicaly pretty LFA as a little kid.
agree with you definetly, If my mum had that attitude with me It would have lead to massive meltdowns, children have feelings do, they don't just do things to try make your life harder.jeeezee D:
Yeah, contrary to popular opinion, children have reasons for the things they do - maybe adults can't understand them sometimes, but they're still reasons.
LtlPinkCoupe
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18 Oct 2012, 10:14 pm
Hi, everyone! I was thinking about this thread today, and it made me realize that I still have a little group of "guys" that I like to take everywhere with me, too!
From left to right, they're Dory, Miss Important, Truffles, and in the front are Susie and Elizabeth. I also included my dolphin totem stone with them. Elizabeth is a "worry doll" I've had since I was nine. (I've had anxiety problems all my life, pretty much). They all serve as "grounding objects" for me...just remembering that I have them nearby is reassuring to me. It's just nice knowing I have a small group of "friends" with me at all times.
Usually, Dory, Truffles, Susie, Miss Important, and Elizabeth travel with me in my shoulder bag, but usually when I go to classes, I just take Dory in my backpack. There's gonna be maintenance people coming in our dorm rooms tomorrow to clean for mold, though, so Miss Important, Truffles, and Susie will be coming with Dory and I when we have to vacate our floor during tomorrow morning.
19 Oct 2012, 8:03 am
I agree on the comfort item thing. The NT world may be a very scary place for an adult on the spectrum, let alone for a child. I still carry a small plastic Totoro in and a little stone in my trouser pocket everywhere I go. And a susuwatari a bit bigger (but still small enough to squeeze in my hand) has taken permanent residence in my jacket pocket .
