Is it Normal For a Child to Have an Imaginary Friend?

1. 86

   Shil1978posted 12 years ago

   Is it Normal For a Child to Have an Imaginary Friend?
   
   If your child keeps talking to no one in particular that you can see and calls that someone a "friend," should you be concerned? Have you as a child yourself had an imaginary friend? What are the reasons behind a child creating an imaginary friend?

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2. 60

   MickSposted 12 years ago

   Yes it is normal.  No, you shouldn't be concerned.  No I never had any imaginary friends.  No idea of the reasons behind their creation, but I expect someone will come up with some nonsensense, Psycho mumbo-jumbo, for you.

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3. 86

   denise.w.andersonposted 12 years ago

   My fourth daughter had a very lively imagination and she had imaginary friends. In fact she said at one point that she was born from someone else and lived in a different place. When it became problematic, I simply told her that if she didn't live with us, then it was time for her to go home. She said, "but, Mom!" That seemed to tame the problem a bit. Children, especially those under the age of 12, have very fine lines between pretend and reality. This is not the same as "lying" and should not be discouraged, but rather teach the child that there are boundaries. When with close friends, relatives, or family members, pretend games are normal and harmless as long as they do not include hurting others or include sexual intimacy. When in public, however, children need to know that pretending is not appropriate and can even be dangerous.

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4. 72

   brakel2posted 12 years ago

   Two great movies about imaginary friends on Tv recently. One came to life when older and married the girl who made him up. Real light comedy. Cute!!!

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