"I’ll admit I’m fully on board with the 12-foot giant skeleton making its mark across the country again. They hit the shelves in July, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t want Halloween to come sooner. I’m one to look for any sign of fall foliage well before September or October hits, and I’m guilty of wearing a fall outfit in the summer heat to get the vibes going. And when I see the first large skeleton in a neighbor’s yard, it instantly brings warmth to my heart.
I know I’m not alone. TikTok videos and photos with the caption, “She doesn’t want flowers. She wants the 12-foot skeleton from Home Depot,” have made their rounds throughout the internet. And while these skeletons have surely made a mark in our hearts, one video has us truly feeling ‘connected’ to these skeleton Halloween decorations. User @sallyvoyles posted an Instagram video of the sweet and surprisingly relatable relationship between her toddler, Slim, and his comfort item, a 5-foot skeleton friend. Voyles’ video has been watched over 5 million times, has nearly 400K likes, and thousands of ‘humerus’ comments on this cute duo. It seems no ‘body’ can ‘rib’ them apart (sorry, we had to).
The beginning of Voyles’ viral video is a scene of her toddler, Slim, and his skeleton friend enjoying a picnic with various fruits, a sliced baguette, and cheese on a pink, quilted blanket. The text overlay reads, “Remembering this time last year when I thought it would be fun to pull the Halloween decorations out early…” Voyles then zooms in to Slim graciously feeding the skeleton a chocolate-covered strawberry. Voyles then takes us on a journey of all the activities they do together.
The sequence of events is quick but looks like a wholesome, fun-filled time. Activities like reading books on the couch, going down a slide, and swinging at the park are only a few of the activities recorded. The closing scene is Slim’s skeleton friend sitting under a tree like a parent relaxing after an action-packed day.
Is finding comfort in a plastic skeleton ‘normal’?
You may be questioning if this relationship between a toddler and his skeleton friend is ‘normal,’ and I’m happy to tell you it is. Not only did the comment section prove Slim isn’t the only kid carting around a giant skeleton BFF, but another toddler went viral a few years back for his unlikely attachment to his skeleton named Benny.
Other kids love their skeletons, too
If your child has a ‘lovey,’ stuffed toy, or a favorite blanket, these items are called transitional objects. And the transitional item for Voyles’ son and others? A Halloween skeleton. Or as Instagram user @caravandaydreams deemed, an “emotional support skeleton,” and other parents can relate:
“When i lived with my sister, our Halloween skeleton never went away either. My niece fell in love with it, named her Spooky Diamond, and we spent the next two years treating her like family. She was covered in blankets at night, given sweaters and a beanie when it was cold, and had her feelings considered by us all. She even made it into the holiday card pictures 😆.”—@corasaur_rex
“My daughter did this with a Halloween dog skeleton when she was 3 [years old].”—@another_girls_junk
“My kid does this too. He’s gone through multiple skeletons because they’ve lost limbs after being taken EVERYWHERE. This year we got a baby for it (smaller version of same skeleton) and they eat lunch together.”—@gottabetkittenme
“Relatable. Bernie Bones has been a fixture in our family, year round, for three years for the same reason lol. He wears a beanie and cardigan most days, he is fabulous and now has bone pets of his own. We love Bernie.”—@aneltiak
Attachment objects have benefits for kids
According to Dr. Laura Kamptner, a contributing writer for Cuddle Bright, “These object attachments decrease distress and anxiety while providing comfort and security for young children during separations from the parent.” That is why your child may sleep with a comfort blanket at night or need to lug around a favorite toy wherever you go.
Regardless of what the transitional object is, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning also says, “There is no need to worry as long as it is nothing that could harm the child.”
Odd toddler comfort objects aren’t a new concept, even the creepiest ones. TikTok user @camille_munday has had many videos go viral showcasing her daughter’s ‘emotional support wad of hair.’ Another mom, Brittany Beard, shared her daughter’s attachment to a “Creepy Chloe” doll that went viral on Facebook—and even got their family some Disney World perks because of it.
Little Slim’s toddler skeleton friend is also sparking parents to share their kids’ funny attachment items:
“We had this issue except it was a mini John Mayer picture cut-out [that was] laminated. Stuck on a piece of wood block I cut with hot glue. She carried this John Mayer everywhere, even to daycare and to bed everyday for about six months straight from when she was 2 [years old].”—@livingwithbeez
“I didn’t have an emotional support skeleton, I had an emotional support giant pastel yellow egg.”—@cucumbersparkle
“My niece carries around a mannequin head. It’s been two years. She’s 5 now, and still loves Ginger. But, now she only uses her in private and when she sleeps.”—@neecheerunsfar
Praise for supporting kids’ interests—no matter how odd
The physical transitional object isn’t the only thing that caught the public’s eye. People are praising Voyles for supporting her son’s choice of his comfort item and leaning into what makes him happy. It’s making others happy, too.
@wulffsuzanne points out, “Just goes to show doesn’t matter what you look on the outside it’s what’s inside that’s important! 🤣🩻”
“Poseable, lightweight but big and comforting, always happy to be there… this kiddo is on to something. 💀❤️”—hayandhorses
“I love when parents support their kids weird interests.”—@__tinta
“Shout out to the parents entertaining their kids nonsense, because there is no harm in it and they are happy!”—@charlieactonpalmer
“Your son knows how to do life right 👏”—@kevrosehome
“This is the best thing I’ve ever seen! Kids are the best 🤣😍”—@three_here_one_in_my_heart
“He will always look back and remember with joy and laughter what his parents did. You’re awesome!”—@starskyalfano
“Hooray for parents letting their kids have the childhood they want!!!”—@whiskerscam
“That’s awesome. Never miss an opportunity to be silly with your kids. It won’t last forever and it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”—@booey24u
Final thoughts on the ’emotional support skeleton’
With Halloween just around the corner, I wonder if Voyles’ toddler will be dressing up his skeleton friend in a Halloween costume this season. Whether the skeleton partakes in Halloween festivities this year or not, I think we can all agree, like @weldsbyryan’s comment, “Mr. Bones is having the time of his afterlife.”
Ironically, I love how a skeleton is bringing so much joy and life into the world. It reminds me that the simplest things can bring you happiness, and I hope I continue to remember that raising children of my own. It now has me questioning—how can I start carrying my own 12-foot skeleton around?
Patty Schepel, Editorial Intern
As the editorial intern, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her family, training for half marathons—she ran one 16 weeks pregnant—traveling, cooking, reading a rom-com, and keeping her sourdough starter, Rose, alive.