Libby Hill

Dear Libby,

I’m writing you because my boyfriend “Bobby” still sleeps with a stuffed animal. It’s just a small, very-worn bear. Evidently it was given to him when he was a baby by his grandparents who recently passed away, and he’s pretty attached to it. He doesn’t make a big deal out of it; he says he just sleeps better with it.

I guess I’m just weirded out. I mean, is this normal? He’s 21 years old and a great and typical guy, except for this one tiny thing. So is he wacko or am I just overreacting?

–Tweaked Out by Teddy

Dear Teddy,

To be completely honest with you, I’d have to say that while your boyfriend’s bed-buddy behavior may be uncommon, I wouldn’t necessarily classify his behavior as weird. It’s a small teddy that obviously retains a lot of emotional significance to him, especially seeing as he just recently lost his grandparents.

Not only does that make it not weird, but I swear that at one point in my life I read that people sleep better while clutching something like a stuffed animal or a pillow. I could be making this up, but it sounds awfully familiar to me.

In short, Teddy, your boyfriend sounds like a great guy that happens to have a little quirk about him. It seems as though you may be overreacting. Just look at it this way: if you two ever decide to have a sleepover, maybe you