There’s nothing wrong with imaginary friends
When our daughter, Isabelle, was four years old, she spent a lot of time on her Minnie Mouse phone talking to Hannah and Helona. And when they’re weren’t chatting on the phone, they were having play dates. I never minded Hannah and Helona’s frequent calls and visits — after all, Hannah and Helona were invisible!
According to the authors of What to Expect: The Toddler Years, nearly two-thirds of children ages 3 and 4 have an imaginary friend. Some of these preschoolers spend every waking minute with their pretend pal, while others just get an occasional visit from their buddy. And like Isabelle, some kids have more than one imaginary playmate.
These made-up friends help youngsters take some control of their lives. Unlike siblings or real, live peers, imaginary friends aren’t bossy and they can be sent away whenever your child desires. Isabelle, along with her transparent girlfriends, mimicked many of the things her older sister did with friends — go to dance class, have sleepovers and stuff like that.
Sometimes Hannah and Helona got into trouble, and Isabelle was a bit of a tattletale when one of her pals did something wrong — like spill juice all over the floor. Thank goodness Isabelle was around to report their misdeeds!
Creating make-believe friends does not mean that your child is lonely, unsociable or disturbed. On the contrary, a vivid imagination is a positive thing that should be entertained and encouraged as long as it suits your child.
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