When you were small, how important were imaginary friends to you?

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   midget38posted 11 years ago

   When you were small, how important were imaginary friends to you?

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   Spongy0llamaposted 11 years ago

   For me they were kind of come and go. I never really had one or more consistent recurring imaginary friends. I would just sometimes find myself pretending to play with other children who weren't actually there. I don't really remember even naming them, just playing with them whenever I was bored and alone.
   
   My teddy bear was always much more important to me, to be honest.

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   chucky1291posted 11 years ago

   i didn't have an imaginary friend. lol in my family, they would think i'm crazy and send me to an institute.

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   Sunshine625posted 11 years ago

   My imaginary friend is still with me. Sue is one of a kind!

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Say hi to Sue, Linda!

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   lburmasterposted 11 years ago

   I don't recall having many imaginary friends. My real friends were much more important. But I did always have my blanket and a few favorite stuffed animals that I kept close. The animals changed out quickly, but the blanket was mine for several years. I remember using the same names for imaginary friends though, Rose and Crystal.

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      They must have been comforting, Ibumaster!

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   Aakashaashishposted 11 years ago

   They only came when i was on bed or alone

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      And that's the time we need them!

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   tillsontitanposted 11 years ago

   I didn't have imaginary friends, but my dolls all had lives of their own....at least I imagined they did so I guess its the same thing.  They were only 'animate' during playtime when no one was around or a REALLY close girlfriend was playing with me.

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think that's the beauty of dolls! They represent the part of life we wish to access at the time and a bit of animation brings it to reality. Thanks for sharing, Mary!

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   Robie Benveposted 11 years ago

   You made me wonder how many cultures would accept their children to have imaginary friends. I grew up in Italy and they would have thought I was crazy or at least very lonely if I had imaginary friends. Seems like in the US it's an accepted practice though.

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      Lizam1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      and in the UK where I grew up.....

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      In Singapore it would be the same, Robie. Everyone would think you're slightly off.

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   billerickyposted 11 years ago

   What do you mean when I was small? I still have one now. I am 47 years young and have an imaginary friend that takes the blame for when my kids do something wrong, but no one admits to it.

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      Lizam1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think I feel one coming on for when I have a bad day!  Great idea:-)

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      midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Imaginary friends are always there for us. Thanks for sharing!

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10. 0

    lesliebyarsposted 11 years ago

    I did not have any imaginary friends growing up.

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    cathyqazposted 11 years ago

    very important as they were my real friends

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    ambercita04posted 11 years ago

    I didn't have any, so not important. I grew up in a Christian home and was an only child for a long time. The one thing I used to do was play board games by myself with Jesus. And Jesus used to always win. Some may say that Jesus was my imaginary friend, but...

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       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I think he's a very real friend, ambercita!!

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    ExoticHippieQueenposted 11 years ago

    You mean...............there are others out there like me?  From my planet?  I had an imaginary monkey (stop laughing!) when I was in the early years of grade school.  A girl friend had one, too. Every recess, we walked them around, dressed them, fed them, and then put them away when recess was over.  We talked about them while we were in class as though they were real.  My monkey (name is not remembered) was as real to me as anything, and I can still see him in my mind's eye.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You've made me think of the Tamagochi, ExoticHippieQueen! Kids used to love having those in place of a real pet.They bring the fun we so need! Thanks for sharing!

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    sherrituckposted 11 years ago

    I was an only child so I had many imaginary friends.  I liked the freedom to experiment with reality.  I think it fueled the creative juices that are reflected in my writing when I create a world that sucks the reader in and keeps him or her there.

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    duffsmomposted 11 years ago

    I didn't have an imaginary friend but I had an imaginary horse ranch and "galloped" all over on my imaginary horse, "Jealousy."  I have no idea where the name came from. 
    
    My daughter had an imaginary husband when she was very young and I asked her what his name was and she said it was Hoota Bob!  Hoota Bob was a part of our family for a while!  (Kids are so much fun!)

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       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Hoota Bob must have been a joy to be around!! Yes, Duffsmom, they certainly are!

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    BWU910posted 11 years ago

    They were all I had.. my creation. My imaginary friends were an integral part of me. The imaginary roles I played, my superhero roles always involved my imaginary friends with my imaginary enemies....I always triumphed over my enemies, my imaginary friends as I learned how to make my stories a bit more dramatic and long term, old images became disposable...never long term because because I derived more and more imagination with what I perceived. All in all, my imaginary friends were really important to me.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       And so, the imagination teaches us a lot! Thanks for sharing!

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    AEvansposted 11 years ago

    Imaginary friends kept me occupied, especially when mom would not have tea all day with me. I believe that my imaginary friends were a reflection of who I was to become as a writer. It truly reflected my creative side as a child.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, we needed them to play school or kitchen with us.....they made playtime special!

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    Lizam1posted 11 years ago

    I was an only child so my imaginary friend was very important.  She would sit next to me on the bus and be at the dinner table.  My parents accepted her and recognized my need for someone to talk to who was my own age.  I don't remember when she disappeared but I know that she was very comforting and made life less lonely for me - I think I was around the age of 6 until about 8.

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       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I think imaginary friends are really comforting because they're always there, 24/7. Thanks for sharing, Lizam!

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    tsmogposted 11 years ago

    I am not sure. I remember sitting on the arm of the couch and it was horse. We galloped in cavalry charges and loped along the trail. I did the back and forth motions like my heroes Roy, Tonto, and that bearded fella too. My bed became a plane when I was with Sky king. And, seems a few fighter dog fights too went and came along. I wonder if that is a gender thing. Males objects and females life entities. I see a hub somewhere.

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       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh, I'm waiting to read it, TSmog!

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    agilitymachposted 11 years ago

    No imaginary friends, but during a period when I REALLY wanted a collie after reading Albert Payson Terhune's collie books, I developed an imaginary collie.  He went on vacation with me one year.  My parents later bought me a real collie - a descendant of Terhune's collies - and he was even better than my imaginary dog.
    
    Interestingly enough, I am now a professional dog trainer, and I now own three Shelties.  That imaginary collie, in a way, shaped my life.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       And it's a blessing what the imagination can do!

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    Hui (蕙)posted 11 years ago

    So important, might be too much!!!
    I was lonely when I was small. I told myself stories that I made up. Imaginary friends and other people had names, lines and personalities... My best friend used to be a fairy. She had supernatural power. She took me flying across mountains, oceans, forests, deserts, then landed in a fairy garden... We had conversations and played together, and I got some magical power either...
    
    The worst thing is that I had indulged into imagination with time, so that lived in a virtual space in my own head for a long long time, which even ruined my real life. This is the most important reason I chose words of Paulo Coelho "You need to wake up if you want to dream" as my life motto!!!

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, Hui, they bring us much comfort. True, it takes hard work to bring dreams to reality! Thanks for sharing!

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    jaydeneposted 11 years ago

    I don`t think I had any,  I had my toys and things, I would talk to them as kids do,
    and make them have conversations in play,.
        My friends were real kids,.  but kids have wonderful imaginations, and as kids all things are possible.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Childlike essence we should keep!

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    Trinity Mposted 11 years ago

    Didn’t everyone?
    
    I believe that it’s natural and healthy to have imaginary friends; it makes for a very creative mind. I had many imaginary friends growing up and I see the same is true of my son who is 7 who likes nothing better than to walk around the garden chatting to his “friends”; he even brings them to dinner He’s also reading and doing creative writing assignments at a high school level, maybe he’s getting help from those imaginary friends of his, lol, who knows?

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, it's the onset of creativity, and if it's stopped, it's very sad! Thanks for sharing, Trinity!

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    fpherj48posted 11 years ago

    Midget...If I took the time and creativity to "imagine" them, they must have been very important.  I remember them all.....even their names and what they looked like.  In fact, a couple of them, grew up with me and are still hanging around!!  One never knows when an imaginary friend will save our sanity!

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       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, when we need to talk to someone at that particular time it can be scary not to have one around! Thanks for sharing, Paula!

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    Jackie Lynnleyposted 11 years ago

    I never had imaginary friends...maybe because I had four younger brothers. One I took a lot of care of while my mom cared for the tiny baby, so I suppose I didn't need anyone else.

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    1. 89

       midget38posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, the young ones can certainly keep us occupied!

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