Family Matters
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
importance of blankets...
I'm an 80's baby and honesty the reason why I think of this now is because my (last) grandfather just passed away this weekend... So I was thinking my husband & I have been waiting to have children but when we do I'm now thinking I'll miss the fact that "grandma" will not have made his/her baby blanket. I'm almost wondering how many ppl of my generation that had their grandmother make their baby blanket & do you think it means less to have it store boughten? I'm starting to believe I should start on blankets now (I sowed earlier, not my previous gens...) for my children in order to have greater meaning.
Re: importance of blankets...
I have some handmade blankets but none made by either grandmother. Neither were crafty people.
I really don't think its a big deal. You can find other ways to incorporate meaning if you want (like using one of your old blankets, or one of your old stuffed animals).
Turn something new into a new tradition (non blanket related) if you want!
My grandmothers were not crafty or sowers. So, neither one made a baby blanket for me and I don't feel like I lost anything emotionally.
My DD has lots of blankets, none made by her grandmothers. Or grandfathers.
okay.... we have those blankets (somewhere in the house).
I dunno, but they don't mean much to me.
What am I supposed to do with it anyway?? Look at it?
Just give me a photograph instead of a something so bulky.
but yeah.... I see where you're coming from.
If it brings you comfort - that's cool.
Learn to crochet or knit.
Start a new tradition.
Sewing a blanket could be fun, but sowing one would involve planting and I don't think that future generations could grow blankets. But they might, who knows?
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
I did not have a baby blanket made by anyone in my family. I had a store bought blanket that turned into my comfort item that I used throughout my childhood. My sister's "baby blanket"/ comfort item was actually a soft fitted crib sheet.
Personally, I don't think that a child needs to have a handmade baby blanket in order to function in life. It is a nice tradition and maybe you can speak to some family members to see if they would be willing to make one for your future child. But, a store bought blanket from you or a close friend or family member could have the same effect- it is the thought that counts after all.
In my experience, you can't make a child choose its comfort item and even if you get a wonderful handmade blanket your child may end up bonding with a cheap stuffed animal or scrap of cloth. I wouldn't worry too much about it!
I have a blanket that my paternal grandmother made when I was born. I honestly don't think about it much these days. At this point it's wrapped up in a closet and I haven't taken it out in years. It's not exactly daisy fresh but at the same time it's FAR too fragile to clean, so it's a no win situation...I really couldn't display it, much less use it.
Neither of my girls have one from their grandmothers. My mom doesn't knit, crochet, etc. MIL is crafty but doesn't do that sort of thing either, to my knowledge. I'm sure they'll be just fine. I certainly wouldn't run out right now and start knitting or whatever for my future grandchildren just so they can have a blanket.
Shudder.
I have two baby blankets that my mother made me - one for comfort and one to keep nice (I've only seen it maybe 5 times in my life). Neither of my grandmothers have passed on anything like that. Its not a big deal to not have something from your grandmother necessarily, but I also don't knwo what your personal family traditions may or not be. Maybe you can start a new one?
It might be special to make your own!
I'm hoping not to bring any children into the family for a few more years, but we think about the traditions and specialties we would like for our family later on.