[StefB]

Tiana started to refer to "the boy" and "the girl" a few months back. At first they scared her at night and naptime. Then they became friends. The girl dropped out of the picture. The boy, I'm told, speaks Spanish. Eventually he was given Tiana's foster brother's name. He often was responsible for Tiana's "transgressions." I haven't heard about him too much in the last month or so. I didn't even realize that he seems to have faded away. The pediatrician said that an imaginary friend is very normal, but at this young age it is a sign of intelligence. So there you go.

[Zuke]

I could have written your post...for the last few months, we have been joined by at least 4 or 5 different imaginary friends here. My son is home with me, but we do get out daily to playdates, classes, etc. so I don't think it matters!!
I have to get snacks for whomever is around at the time, change diapers for the "friend," buckle them into the car, get them extra art supplies...you name it, he wants me to take care of it!! He puts them in time out too, which makes me laugh every time.
I am already wondering how long it will last, but it is an awful lot of fun to hear them "playing" together

[mkinzie]

DD has an imaginary friend "Ya-Ya", and just like Anthony's imaginary friend "Michelle" Ya-ya has to go to time out alot! She also tells on her for the things she's "done"! We have lots of fun playing with her at home but she doesn't go to school with her. DD says because she's not allowed out of the house!

[NJNative]

My son, who is now 18 ,had an imaginary friend named Dirtabee (?!?). He was black and white, had white hair and blue eyes, and six children. He went everywhere with us for a while there, accompanied at times by some of his children (including Dirtabee, Junior).

He also travelled extensively and had many exciting adventures. But alas, one day, just about the time my son started Montessori preschool, Dirtabee went to Florida and never returned.

I miss him, even 14 years later. Enjoy those invisible friends! They make for great stories later on, too.

Robin

[EZ2Luv]

My cousin's son did this and so did mine though not to the extent of my cousin's son. With my cousin's son he had an imaginary dog named "Champ". It was so much that whenever they went gocery shopping my cousin would have to by large bags of dry dogfood because little J would pitch a fit that "Champ" needed food among other dog related needs. This went on for about 5 months. Another thing he would do is take his plate of food the minute my cousin turned her back and place it on the floor for "Champ".
I remeber him talking to "Champ" too as if he were on a leash whenever we all would go out. This was before I had my own kids but I was facinated with the kid's imagination down to every detail as far as "Ma we have to take "Champ" out to potty now" even if it was pouring rain, out they went.. It was cute

I think it completely normal especially for only children. Of course my cousin's case was a tad extreme because she fed into it because he was her only child IMO. Needless to say J is all grown up now(6'2" and a police officer) and we joke with him about how "Champ" is doing and he gets a kick out of it. It is sort of like a family joke.
Wityh my own kid's it only lasted a week or two here and there with different "friends". Come to think of it,interesting that only my first son did this. Hmm, thinking back I wonder if it does have something to do with being an only child?

EZ

[Slatond10]

Originally Posted by wynnekj9967

Anthony has an imaginary friend who happens to be a real friend. He is constantly playing with "Michelle", even when he hasn't seen the real Michelle for the day. "Michelle" is always making messes and having to go to time out. I will catch him walking with "Michelle", he'll be walking with his arm out like he's holding her hand. It's all normal and really cute.

This sounds like my DD .. she fell "in-love" @ 18 mo w/ Evan ( A REAL BOY)... BUT he moved up w/in months of that. He then became her imaginary friend. She still talks about him and she is 4 ( not as often ). But he is quite a trouble maker in her imagination

[Shannavi]

I can't give any advice but thought it would be funny to mention that my husband had an imaginary friend named Kinky when he was little.
I think that it is a normal thing..not to worry. :-)

[Mama2CiCi]

then my 5 1/2 year old daughter must be a genius (ha, ha ).
I brought her home at 14 1/2 months and she was not talking yet. But from the time she could talk ( around 2 or so)she started talking about her orange house-orange was and still is her favorite color. Anyway in this orange house she has a mom, dad, brothers, sisters, cats, dogs, grandma's and grandpa's. She has even started giving them names lately.
She talks about them but not really to them. Any time she has a scratch or bruise and I ask her about it, she says, "oh my cat at my orange house scratched me". Or when I tell her no about something she'll say, "my mom at my orange house let's me".
She has even started to tell me that I am her favorite mom.
She is in Kindergarten this year and this was the first time she has even drawn her orange family. The funny part is that she drew them with hair (or something that didn't really look like hair) over their faces.
I got all deep about this picture thinking that she did this since she has never seen her "orange- birth familly".
When I asked Alicia about the picture and why they didn't have faces, she said, "THAT'S THEIR HAIR, THEY ARE TURNED AROUND LOOKING AT THE FIREWORKS!!!!".
Ok no more deep thinking from me:clap
LAURIE

[nannyisme2004]

I had a pretend daddy when I was growing up. I don't remember this, but my mom tells me that is what I called him and I would introduce him to people. My dad was not around much when I was growing up.

My DD is extremely creative. She is five and for some time now she has had a pretend family. A pretend daddy (I am a single mom) and at times a pretend mommy, grandma and grandpa. What I have noticed is that her pretend daddy lets her do and get away with things her real mommy would not. He also is very adventurous and brave and can get into trouble from time to time. She does realize that when I get married some day she will have a daddy. And she does know that her birth father died before she was born. She does talk less and less about her pretend daddy these days.

[Waiting4OURBOY]

Oh the world of imagination. Ben went through a phase awhile back where his real friends and family would be "with" us almost constantly. He has a cousin named Carson and Carson would sit with us at dinner. Sometimes we would even have to make him a small plate of food. Carson would get on the table, oh all kinds of things. Carson hasn't been over for dinner in quite awhile!!!

Now he just imagines that he is superman and chases imaginary bad guys around our house all the time!!! He definitely has a great imagination!!!

[dovelu]

When my bio son was 4ish he had many imaginary friends. His favorites were Wood-Pood, Jackie (a boy) and Flower. He also had his "Hand-Friends," he pretended his friends were people and talked to them. I am cracking up writing this. Anyhow, he is 12 now, smart & healthy as a whip, and still has a very rich inner life.

My neice (3ish) had an imaginary friend for a while too, who constantly got in trouble. I think that it was a good way to vent her own frustration.

Though both ds & my neice have siblings now, they didn't at the time. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not, but I personally think it is very healthy & fine.

Peace,
Amy

[LLR]

This makes me laugh as it reminded me of my oldest daughters imaginary friend. She was an only child at the time around 2 she had an imaginary friend a boy named annie . Annie went everywhere with us but I made annie stay in the car when we went to church! I know I am a terrible mom. Poor Annie!

Anyhow Annie left about the time the twins were born. My daughter was almost 4. I have to say my daughter is fine and doesn't even remember Annie but it brings me much Joy to think about those days.

Lori