Stuffed animals

I don't know. I had stuffed animals on my bed until I graduated high school, so I don't know if I'm the best one to ask. I didn't really "sleep" with them because I wouldn't hold onto them while I slept, but there were a couple of stuffed animals that I always kept on my bed.

for me personally, I feel that a child will grow out of it on their own,

I don't think there's anything wrong with sleeping with stuffed animals and that's partly because my mother has slept with one my entire life. LOL My younger children (7, 8, 9) all still sleep with stuffed animals and, when I don't feel good, I sleep with one. :-)

When a child is ready to give up a stuffed animal or blanket, he or she will do so. Taking them away is cruel and serves no purpose except to make the parent feel better. I guarantee that by the time the child moves away from home 99.9% of them will have given up their stuffed animals or blanket! Parents worry about silly things sometimes and this is one of them.

I think they should keep sleeping with them for as long as they want to assuming that the toy doesn't present any physical danger to them. I bet there are plenty of adults with toy animals/dolls on the bed and others with live animals - which are potentially more dangerous.