Fascinating. I'd love to hear more on this.

And here I was thinking we would be discussing whether it's good to allow your kid to become attached to a blankie.

On topic: I think general guidelines that can be modified to the kid/situation are appropriate. So, perhaps a curfew is relaxed for a responsible kid who has a summer job that involves staying out late. Or, the 1-cookie guideline is relaxed at their uncle's vort.

How would one 'not allow' it? Would one say, 'honey, there's a house rule, no getting attached to blankies'?

In those particular cases I see it making sense to all those involved, but what about when 15-year old Yankel asks why 14-year old Yentel can have a full cup of alcohol while he can only have half a cup?

You're right. "Not allowing it" is extreme. What about discouraging (or not actively encouraging)?

If I had a 15 yr old and a 14 yr old, I would factor that in. In the case you mentioned, neither would have a full cup because even if Yentel could handle it, it's more important that the family have shalom than that one kid gets to imbibe a bit more. Giving a younger child more adult priviledges than an older sibling can cause problems and should be done only after careful thought and in unusual circumstances. On the other hand, just because (now 18 yr old) Yentel was allowed a full cup at 14, it doesn't mean that 14 yr old Shmealik can automatically have a full cup.

Parents actually encourage it?

I see. I guess it's easier to explain if there isn't a cutoff age (13, 15, 21) but rather a maturity level ('you can now have a full cup because you're mature enough to handle it', not 'because you're old enough').

My parents explained it by ability.
One sibling tended to daydream, so the sibling immediately younger than that sibling had to wait an extra year before being allowed to cross streets until they felt the older child could be trusted to cross safely.

Yeah (to both).

Not to get too OT but the idea is that it fosters a sense of security if they have one special item that they can have with them when they go to daycare or down for a nap or whatever.

[I thought this was going to discuss 'house rules' and blankets-- we weren't allowed to go into the kitchen wrapped in or with a blanket draped around our shoulders, actually 'no blankets in the kitchen was a rule']

Why not? How did you wear a tallis if you weren't wearing a blanket???

The issue was wearing a comforter or a blanket running around the house - possibly because our parents didn't want us to trip walking down the stairs or walking in general or accidentally get food on it/them while running through the kitchen.

Oh, and I don't wear a tallis- and what does a tallis have to do with a blanket in the first place?

ahhh..we don't have stairs in our apt. and the blankets need to be washed fairly often anyways, since their kid's blankets.

Why did you warp a tallis around you if you weren't using it for a tallis (that's the only time my kids wrap it around).

Yes, blankets need to be washed in general, no question there. It was a safety issue more than anything else.

Why would I wrap a blanket around if I wasn't using it as a tallis? To keep warm and toasty while reading a book or watching tv...I dunno, why to kids make 'tents' and read books with a flashlight past bedtime?

Oh my kids don't do that. They only use their blankets for a tallis. And they all fight over one particular blanket because it's the best size. Then, they have to fight over the siddur.

Fascinating (though I still don't fully get it).