People Who Still Have Their Favorite Childhood Toy Usually Share 9 Extra Special Traits
AlxYago / Shutterstock It’s totally normal for people to feel like it’s difficult to get rid of mementos from their childhood, so some people don’t even try.
These folks are still holding onto their favorite toy decades later, and they can’t imagine letting it go when it means so much to them. It turns out that people who feel a sentimental need to keep the toy they loved the most share more than just a love of nostalgia.
People who still have usually share these special traits if they still have their favorite childhood toy
1. They like being surrounded by comforting things
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Kids are known for keeping special things that make them feel better, like blankets and stuffed animals, close to them. Scientists call these transitional objects, and they’ve discovered that people don’t always grow out of them.
It’s possible to latch onto comfort objects at any age, but it makes sense that things that made someone feel safe when they were young will probably have a stronger effect than new things. This sense of comfort is a vital way to cope with the challenges of life for a lot of people.
2. They want to be reminded of their identity
Everyone has a unique identity that they develop through their traits and experiences. We’re all able to understand who we are because of what we’ve been through.
It’s not likely that someone would connect their identity directly to a toy from their childhood, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be an important reminder. The memories the toy holds shaped who they became over time, and they can’t lose sight of that when they have it close by.
3. They stay loyal to who and what they love
There’s something really sweet about the idea of being so loyal to a favorite toy that someone feels like they need to hold onto it, but there’s a bigger message there, too. Chances are, anyone who sticks to a toy that way would bring the same energy to their real relationships.
Loyalty is one of the things that strengthens all kinds of relationships the most. Keeping a toy seems like a small thing, but it shows someone feels deeply connected to the things they love and cares about what happens to them, which could have a much more personal meaning.
4. They want to protect who they used to be
Psychologist Carl Jung developed the theory that we all have an inner child, which is a part of us that’s defined by what we went through as kids and how those experiences still affect us now. A lot of people unfortunately have to process the hard things they faced as a kid so they can continue to move forward.
Whether someone would describe their childhood as traumatic or happy, that’s still a big part of who they are. Keeping a favorite toy could be a way to show a younger version of themselves that they care, whether it stems from wanting to keep them safe or wanting to make them proud.
5. They never lost their vivid imagination
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Kids are used to relying on their imagination to stay entertained and to see the world through a more creative lens. Toys are a huge part of that as they become a part of playing pretend and creating imaginary worlds.
Of course, adults don’t use their imagination in the same way, but not using it at all could mean someone can’t solve problems or show empathy. People who still feel connected to their old toys can probably still see the world with the same childlike wonder they used to have, which makes it feel worthwhile to keep them.
6. They have the capacity to love deeply
Loving a teddy bear is pretty different from loving a person, but there is a connection there. Favorite toys are some of the first things that children learn to show affection for and take care of, which are skills that they continue to use for the rest of their lives.
If someone loves an old toy so much that they keep it, they clearly had strong feelings about it that never went away. That’s proof that they can love things on a deep level, which could strengthen their relationships as an adult.
7. They believe that some things never change
There’s really nothing that truly stays the same forever, but a favorite childhood toy can make it feel like it’s possible. Someone might see it as an anchor in a world that keeps changing and becoming more stressful.
People who have happy memories from their childhood are usually healthier than those who don’t. Something as simple as a toy could be all a person needs to remember that they had a great childhood, no matter how long ago it was.
8. They don’t worry about whether something is useful
In our culture, we’re taught that we have to earn our worth through the things we do. Rejecting this attitude usually makes people feel guilty, but those who still have their favorite toy might have an advantage.
There’s almost no chance that an old toy is serving any real purpose that the world would consider useful. Holding onto it means someone is choosing to find value in something that other people think is pointless. This can help them accept that things don’t have to be useful to be loved, including themselves.
9. They feel a lot of love for their younger self
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People who want to get rid of everything that belonged to them when they were a child, including the things they loved, probably have a good reason for feeling that way. Their younger self could be someone they want to distance themselves from, whether it’s because other people hurt them or they regret their choices.
That means that keeping reminders of the past signals that someone isn’t trying to create a clear separation between who they were then and who they are now. That doesn’t mean they were always happy while growing up, but there’s something that makes them love who they have been in every stage of life.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
