The Collector Bug

By Catherine Rondina

Her bedroom is filled to the roof with teddy bears in every shape, size and colour you can name. His room looks like a cave, filled with hundreds of rocks, from his invaluable collection.

Sound familiar? You probably had similar accumulations when you were a kid, only it was more like, comic books, baseball cards, or baby dolls. Whatever the treasures were, you cherished them like they were gold and wouldn't part with them for the world. Well, not a lot has changed over the years, kids are still gathering and collecting, as part of a natural stage in their development.

Collecting and caring for these items is beneficial for children. It allows them to have something special of their own that they build up and maintain. The collection becomes part of who they are, and helps create self-esteem, through the knowledge that they are in control of this tiny portion of their lives. But how do you deal with this seemingly obsessive behavior? Chill out and try these techniques for keep the both you and your little collector, under control.

• Look at the collection through your child's eyes. You may not understand why she loves marbles, or why your son is into collecting string, but try to see the treasure the way your child sees it. Don't look at it as coloured glass balls, or dirty old string, use your imagine and look past the obvious.
• Get involved in what your child finds so fascinating. Ask her about all her bears and what it is she likes about each one. Take her to a specialty shop and spend some time looking at all the teddies. Visit a bear museum or the library for some interesting history on teddy bear collecting. Have a teddy bear's picnic and enjoy her special collection with her.
• Keep your child grounded when it comes to collecting. A hobby like this can very easily get out of control. When your daughter sees that her best friend down the street has a bigger collection then she does, her natural reaction will be to increase her hoard. Explain that having more, does not necessarily mean having the best, and to treasure her special collection.
• If your child's collecting is getting expensive, you need to set limits. Many kids collect things that can get quite pricey, so you have to draw the line somewhere. Explain to your son that part of having a having a special collection is earning it. If he wants to add another piece to his series, he'll have to feed the dog for a couple of weeks to earn it.
• Make sure your child's collection isn't turning into more of a mess than a trove of riches. If your child's collecting has gotten to the point that it's taken over his room, or worse your home, it's time to pull in the reigns. Suggests ways for your child to sort and store his treasures and tell him there'll be no more adding to the collection until things are tidied up.