When it comes to children there are lots of ‘Firsts’ to be experienced, and especially in that first year of their life. The beauty of a first smile, those few first tastes of solid food, the first laugh and the joy of those very first steps.
As a parent we live for these special moments. Memorable times in our child’s life that we can remember forever, record in our baby books and look back on with fondness.
Children grow and develop at what feels like a lightning speed, blink and suddenly they don’t need your hand to walk down a few steps anymore. Some days you wake up in the morning and it feels like they’ve grown out of their shoes overnight.
First moments get us through the bad times, phases of no sleep, tantrums, all the challenges we face as parents. When you are feeling so tired you don’t know how you will survive that first peel of laughter gives you the joy and strength to know that you are doing it all right after all.
The firsts that you give to your child are also extremely important, the first trip to see farm animals, the first swing on the swings, their very first Teddy.
The first Teddy plays an especially large part in a child’s life. Unlike the swings that can be swung upon again and again, that first cuddle of that first Teddy is setting your child up for a lifetime of comfort. There really is no better gift than that.
Studies have shown that infants often find comfort in ‘transitional objects’ that help them on the path to independence. To children these objects need to be soft, stroked, and cuddled and, on a symbolic level, it links to maternal care. Reminding them of the comfort of Mum.
So, what should you think about when selecting ‘My First Teddy’?
Well firstly let’s think about texture. There are many soft toys out there in the world, so much choice, but when it comes to a very young child softness is key. Joints, beaded eyes, small parts are a no, and you want to pick something that offers maximum comfort to your child. Young children are very tactile; they explore their environment with their mouth when they are very young so the fabric of the Bear is an important thing to consider.
Colour: in reality babies don’t notice the gender stereotypes that we put on them, they don’t care that pink is meant for girls and blue is meant for boys. What they really like is something bright, something that will catch their eye, and capture their attention (and hopefully their heart in later years). By around 8 weeks of age babies begin to start focusing their eyes on items, Mums face is an excellent place to start, and as they grow they begin to take more notice of the world around them. Bright and colourful toys will get your babies attention and help them to recognise they’ve seen the item before.
Another great thing to consider for ‘My First Teddy’ is personalisation. If it’s going to be a favourite teddy it needs to stand out from the others, making it extra special for your child. Personalisation also helps in times of need, in the situation that Teddy gets left somewhere on a trip out (its happened to us all, it’s why we buy two of favourite toys!!) making it much easier to identify. The slight raised lettering on many of our personalised Bears also adds in the texture factor. Children often like to stroke something soft whilst falling to sleep and the slightly raised lettering is perfect for this.
You can browse our personalised teddy bears for babies here.
We couldn’t finish talking about ‘My First Teddy’ without talking about price. Raising children is expensive, we all know that, and while we want to always give our children the very best, sometimes it is just too expensive to do so. A first Teddy is no exception. Quality and price is what sets our Bears apart. They are beautifully made, safe, soft and always really reasonably priced.
One of our most popular teddies for a newborn is indeed the ‘My First Teddy’ , with the wording embroidered on the foot of the bear. This adorable soft and cuddly bear can have a personalised message on a little jumper for him to wear.
We’ve had many photos from proud parents over the years of running Bears4U, showing off their glowing offspring, their joy at the delight of their child when seeing their ‘First Bear’ for the first time. We love seeing our Bears in happy homes with happy children.
Its hard work being a parent in the current climate but if you are a new parent then take the time to enjoy the quiet, the special moments of having a new born. They are precious times. When the world is busy sometimes we forget that ‘first moments’ are special and exclusive to us and our baby. Firsts are special, lets mark them with something extra special.
