Toddlers are often attached to blankets as their love objects. If those sacred fuzzy objects are lost or ruined a small child can be devastated. Thankfully, there are ways for parents to ease their little one's blankie blues.

"Children naturally adopt possessions and view them as more special than an adult would," explains Dean Cloward, a child psychologist practicing in Nevada. "Blankets are often chosen as comfort objects because they are given to them by parents who love them, they provide warmth, they are soft and they can be cuddled when going to sleep."

According to Carol Seefeldt, the Maryland-based author of "Early Childhood Education and Active Experiences for Active Children," blankies are powerful. "Blankets help a small children learn to comfort themselves, gain internal control and calm themselves," Seefeldt says. "The experience extends into later maturity as the person learns self-calming and coping skills."

Seefeldt also advises when parents choose a particular blanket to present to the child, they should buy duplicates. "That way if one blanket is lost they have an immediate replacement and no lapse in comfort," Seefeldt says. "It also makes it easier for the parents on wash day."

Bobbi Dempsey of Pennsylvania learned the value of her child's love object the hard way. Her 3-year-old son, Nickie, adored his teddy bear blanket. It had a calendar pattern and a different teddy for each month. One day at preschool it was lost. Nicky was distraught and refused to leave school without his blankie. "I had to force him to leave with the promise that his teachers would call immediately if the blanket was found," says Dempsey. The blanket never materialized.

After searching the malls for a new blanket, his mother was unable to find a suitable replacement. A few nights later his grandmother helped him through his loss. "Nicky was sleeping over at his grandmother's house and was still traumatized by the incident," she says. "He really liked Grandma's new comforter, so she took pity on him and offered it to him even though she'd only had it a few days." The grandmother's solution worked. Nickie is 9 years old today and the comforter is tattered and worn, but he still loves it.

Sometimes no matter how hard we try, a blankie can't be replaced. Michelle Turner of Pennsylvania knew her daughter was attached to her blankie, but when it was gone she realized how deeply her child loved it. When her daughter, Kristy, was born they gave her a cotton thermal blanket with ribbon edging. Even when she was a tiny baby she would smile when she saw it. By toddlerhood she carried it with her everywhere. It didn't take long for it to be worn down to shreds.

Turner hurt her back and had to spend a week in the hospital. While she was recuperating, her friend who was caring for Kristy determined she was too old for a blankie and threw it out with the trash. "When I walked into the house my daughter ran up and hugged me tightly, then looked up at me with her huge hazel eyes full of tears and said, 'Blankie's gone.' It tore out my heart," Turner says.

Trying to stay positive, Turner explained to her daughter that when a person gets older they get different types of blankets and took her shopping for a new comforter. She found one she liked, but once it was home and spread out, it never left her bed. Turner also bought her daughter a stuffed animal. She formed an attachment to it, but there was no true replacement for her blankie. Turner consoles herself. "I think we handled it well. Kristy was fine, but she seemed so grown up after that."

When our son's blankie started falling apart, I chose to introduce a new blankie in hopes he would grow attached to it and accept it when the older blanket had crumbled into oblivion. I washed the blankets together and prepared for the introduction. But, when I opened the dryer and saw that soft, beautiful blankie lying on top of his old one, inspiration hit.

I grabbed the new blanket and ran into the kitchen. Mustering enthusiasm, I exclaimed, "Mason, the dryer fixed your blankie. It turned it into this new blanket!"

He beamed and reached for it. I held my breath. He nestled his face into its softness. He smiled then looked concerned. "Mom, it's not a tickle blankie." He had always rubbed his blankie on his neck when he was falling asleep. I told him to close his eyes, and then I gently rubbed the blanket on his neck. He shuddered then grinned. "It is a tickle blankie!"

From that moment forward he adored the new blanket. He is potty training now and the blanket always stays in the bathroom with us. He has conversations with it, reads it books, snuggles with it at night and has not once asked for his old blankie.