(HealthDayNews) -- Have you ever wondered why children grow so attached to a favorite blanket, doll, or stuffed animal?

According to the National Jewish Research and Medical Center in Denver, children feel insecure when separated from their parents. A favorite teddy bear, for example, can help them see themselves as individuals. A loved object can relieve their anxiety as they learn to be comfortable away from adults.

So if your school-age child is still dragging a scruffy blanket around, relax. Kids do eventually give those kinds of things up.