SECURITY BLANKET

These two words can be used in various ways but generally referring to something as a security blanket, means that it provides someone with a feeling of safety and comfort. Quite often, an image of a child with some ratty, dragged along the floor all day, soggy corner thing in hand, comes to mind when you think of a security blanket and quite often this is the case. However, it is my experience that ‘blankies’ as they are affectionately known, can follow the child into ‘grown up land’ in some form or another. Is this a bad thing? In my opinion, I don’t think so.

At a very young age a child will, for reasons of their own, attach themselves to a particular item that gives them a feeling of comfort and safety when held in tiny hands or snuggled into by their little bodies. More often than not it is a small blanket or cotton cot sheet that becomes the item of comfort but sometimes this ‘security blanket’ will come in the form of a fluffy toy bunny or a rag doll or something similar. No matter the item, if it provides comfort and a feeling of safety or stems the anxiety for the child, what does it matter? If it helps the child settle whilst mummy is off doing errands, great. If it is chewed on whilst the little one deals with pain, what the hell? If it is dragged around day-care all day whilst new friends are made, routines learned and life itself is being navigated by young ones, just wash it, let’s not worry for as these little ones grow, the blankets will slowly be dropped to be picked up later, they will be put to one side to be used for nap time, then for bed time, then eventually put in a special place for when they are really needed, the time when they feel like the world is against them.

“Grown up’ blankies are there in our lives but we may not recognise them as such. Many a grown-up will quietly snuggle under a ‘throw blanket ‘whilst watching tv, reading, having a cuppa, whether it’s warm or cold in the house probably not realising that they are craving comfort and security in perhaps a small way.

That favourite Tee shirt we throw on, that beard that is hidden behind or stroked when anxious, that favourite mug we go to, to pour tea into to calm the anxiety. They don’t have to be blankets, just items of comfort. For the author, just the weight of a blanket is my go-to comfort.

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