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December 01, 2003
In praise of Teddy Bears
OK, I know, this may seem a strange topic for a blog, but the humble Teddy Bear is a much under rated force in our lives.
As a parent, I can vouch for the effect of a missing Teddy Bear in a little girls life. I have driven a round trip of one hundred and four miles to retrieve a Teddy Bear left behind at the yacht club where we had spent the day. Said daughter was inconsolable when it was discovered that Teddy had been left behind. Try reasoning with an overtired, overwrought four year old. Dad got in the car and drove back to the club, retrieved Teddy and drove home. A small hand emerged from under the duvet and snatched Teddy into a tight hug, the now consoled owner promptly dropping off to sleep with Teddy Bear installed.
Pratchett makes this same parallel in the book Hogfather. The Unseen University's computer (I guess it must be a mainframe - it couldn't be a desktop!) asks the Hogfather ( Played by Death - don't ask - read the book yourself!) for a present. Right at the end you discover that it is a Teddy Bear, and HEX, the computer, throws a wobbly if the Bear is removed. HEX has to be TBE'd before it will function. TBE? Stands for Teddy Bear Enabled!
My youngest daughter once accompanied the rest of the family aboard the Massey Shaw fireboat for a Thames Day which ended in a massive and really spectacular fire work display. We were playing safety boat to the firing crew in the barges doing the firing and had a grandstand view. Youngest decided she wasn't going to be part of this - her reasoning was flawless even at four and a half - all that stuff going up, has to come down again, she wasn't going to be under it. This meant that someone had to forgo their watching the display to stay with her below decks. Teddy Bear to the rescue. A Teddy Bear was found, and youngest was convinced that Teddy needed to be looked after as he was scared of all the bangs and flashes. A check below about fifteen minutes later revealed missy sound asleep with Teddy tucked up next to her and a coat pulled over them.
It does not surprise me at all that children involved in motor accidents and needing comforting are immensely less stressed when a Teddy Bear can be produced and presented to "be cared for". Some years ago "Trauma Teddies" were introduced by some fire services, with great success. It is something that has been continued in various forms since then, but it is expensive and needs sponsors. Speaking from personal experience, I can vouch for the calming effect that a Teddy Bear has on an injured and frightened child and the healing process doesn't end there either, that is merely the beginning.
Of course, Teddy Bears are no longer purely the preserve of children, many adults now collect them, and there are now a wide range of collectable makes available. The most famous is probably Stieff, but there are all shapes and sizes from countires around the globe.
What started this train of thought? An appeal for knitted Teddy Bears to be given to an aid agency that has found that they make ideal gifts to children in hospitals with incurable or serious illnesses. Apparently the bears reduce anxiety and improve recovery rates.
Not bad for a simple stuffed toy.
Posted by The Gray Monk at December 1, 2003 01:08 AM
Comments
I still have my Teddy that my mother bought when she found out she was pregnant with me. She loves telling the story about when I was 7 she bought a new Teddy to replace the old ratty one(the one I still have after 35 years). We went through a whole ceremony of throwing the old one away. Later that night she found the "new" teddy on the floor and the "old" teddy under my arm. During the night I had gone downstairs and dug the old teddy out of the trash. I could sleep without the proper teddy bear installed. I have no clue where the "new" teddy is, but the "old" teddy is on my bookcase in the den. I think I'll end up in my grave with that bear under my arm.
Posted by: Matthew at December 4, 2003 03:16 AM
Teddy Bears have an amazing influence - well done for rescuing your oldest "friend". To my shame, my original bear became totally unsavable when I was around twelve and dissappeared out of my life. We were moving cities at the time and I think he went in the parental clearout! I still feel guilty about it, and now I am surrounded by my kids old bears, and my wife's collection! Oh, and I have several of my own, who have come to "live" with me at various times - all presented by friends or family! I wonder if they're saying something to me ....
Posted by: The Gray Monk at December 5, 2003 01:23 PM