Children and their imaginary friends

[markfch]

Angelight:

Don't worry lah, Markfch. Only child in the family is usually lonely and tends to talk to his/her stuff toys like they are real. My DD is also like that. She treats her soft toys as her \"babies\" and will bathe, feed and even take care of them when they are \"sick\". I believe it's a passing phase they will grow out of.

Wow, your dd is more into this than my ds man! That's the beauty of the forum. You find out that you're not alone

[markfch]

deminc:

He himself is not a stuffed toy person from birth, but ds2 has a super soft spot for stuffed toy and treats them so earnestly that ds1 got quite into it. I think it's very cute to watch them give the various toys names and voices, haha. They will even make lego weapons for their animals to wear or make little hammocks for them to sleep in. Nothing to worry lah.

Thanks. After hearing from you people, I'm certainly reassured.

[verykiasu2010]

markfch:

deminc:

He himself is not a stuffed toy person from birth, but ds2 has a super soft spot for stuffed toy and treats them so earnestly that ds1 got quite into it. I think it's very cute to watch them give the various toys names and voices, haha. They will even make lego weapons for their animals to wear or make little hammocks for them to sleep in. Nothing to worry lah.

Thanks. After hearing from you people, I'm certainly reassured.

I guess your DS would have been talking to his \"friends\" these few days after coming home from school ....... updating them about school life ...

[kohhweelin.010441gmail.010441com]

markfch:

deminc:

He himself is not a stuffed toy person from birth, but ds2 has a super soft spot for stuffed toy and treats them so earnestly that ds1 got quite into it. I think it's very cute to watch them give the various toys names and voices, haha. They will even make lego weapons for their animals to wear or make little hammocks for them to sleep in. Nothing to worry lah.

Thanks. After hearing from you people, I'm certainly reassured.

I just want to share my dd1's experience with imaginary friend.

When she was still a single-child, she had this imaginary friend whom she would talk to and play with. She even gave \"her\" a name. We had to leave a seat for \"her\" during meal times and \"she\" travelled in the car with us. My mum used to freak out everytime she mentioned her \"friend\".

We read an article about kids having imaginary friends and we were more relieved after knowing that it's actually quite a good thing. They could even be gifted to a certain extent. Well...this lasted for more than a year before her sibling came along. Somehow, she just outgrew it.

So, markfch, once your ds gets busier with his primary school life, his \"friend\" will leave him too, which I felt is rather sad, but the kid will be oblivous.

[Alex001]

All kids have imaginary friends. This is natural and is meant to cultivate their imagination.


Try exposing him to newer environments - the park, the playground, a child care centre etc. Children with imaginary friends may be lonely.

Otherwise, try finding more about this Snitch. Instead of going against it, try working with it to teach your child good values. It could help. It may even turn a nuisance into a teacher.

If none of the above works, just let the flow go.

[markfch]

E3:

We read an article about kids having imaginary friends and we were more relieved after knowing that it's actually quite a good thing. They could even be gifted to a certain extent. Well...this lasted for more than a year before her sibling came along. Somehow, she just outgrew it.

Wow E3, you put the word 'gifted' and my ds in the same sentence. :lol: Can elaborate further on the article?

I took a glance at ds just now. I look right look left but ds doesn't seem the least bit gifted leh, keke.

Though I must say at least he's pretty adept at grasping maths concepts since young.

[markfch]

Alex001:

Children with imaginary friends may be lonely.

I felt a tinge of sadness when I read the above sentence. Cos it is true for my ds's case.

[aqeqiq]

My dd is now 9 and she occasionally still makes up imaginary friends. She has had such "pals" since she was 3. Btw, they can be "people" or "animals". haha. I remember her preschool teacher informing me in a very worried tone about it and was surprised that I showed no concern. To me it just means she has a vivid imagination and as long as she is not lost in an imaginary world and unable to interact, I am fine with it. Though she is an only child, she is definitely not lonely. I think you’ve got to see the overall behaviour of the child and not just at the fact that they have imaginary friends.

[markfch]

aqeqiq:

My dd is now 9 and she occasionally still makes up imaginary friends. She has had such \"pals\" since she was 3. Btw, they can be \"people\" or \"animals\". haha. I remember her preschool teacher informing me in a very worried tone about it and was surprised that I showed no concern. To me it just means she has a vivid imagination and as long as she is not lost in an imaginary world and unable to interact, I am fine with it. Though she is an only child, she is definitely not lonely. I think you've got to see the overall behaviour of the child and not just at the fact that they have imaginary friends.

Oh yours also single child like mine. Sometimes mine will manhandle Snitch to play the piano and he'll sing along like a duet. A lot of patterns come out during piano practice. And I'm forbidden to leave the piano room cos someone must applaud after Snitch finished playing. :roll:

[verykiasu2010]

must thank markfch for starting this thread


at least it brings back fond memories of our kids when they were young with their imaginary friends and we parents had to participate :thankyou: