|
|
Better Parenting |
Self Help Tips (Home) > Better Parenting > Imaginary Friend of Child Is it Normal for My Child to have an Imaginary Friend?Does your child talk to an imaginary friend? Or has your child told you about an imaginary friend? Has this got you worried? Are you concerned about your child's state of mind? Parents naturally tend to get worried about this. They worry about the child's mental and emotional health. As a loving parent, you're bound to wonder if all is well with your kid. There's good news for you. Imaginary friends are pretty common among children, especially those between the ages 3 - 5. You probably don't recall it now, but you almost certainly must have had your own imaginary friend with whom you shared all that was going on with you. These fake companions are a very important part of growing up. Children have very vivid imaginations and it's easier to share all that they want to with this imaginary friend, because the friend is sure to understand exactly what the child is trying to communicate. Most children concoct the imaginary friend for the following reasons:The child is a pure, fresh, innocent being and everything and anything is possible for them. Life is wonderful and they want to share all that's going on with them with someone. So, they cook up this 'friend' with whom they can share everything, and who understands exactly what they're saying. In their mind, the friend responds appropriately too....not like busy grown-ups, who have other, weightier matters on their mind. The friend speaks their language. Talking to their friend, allows the child to be very creative in his communications. It can be a very frustrating experience for the child, when he or she is trying to communicate unsuccessfully with an adult. Speaking with the imaginary friend allows the child to give full expression to all that is going on with him or her without any unnecessary baggage being added on. They are able to communicate completely and feel properly acknowledged when the friend gives them the appropriate response (which again the child creates himself or herself). Having an imaginary friend takes care of any sense of loneliness or boredom. The imaginary friend participates fully in whatever is going on for the child at the time. The friend gives the child a sense of security and acceptance which may not always be available to the child at the very moment he or she needs it. The friend is a great asset in moments of stress for the child like when he has to go to a new school, or has shifted home and has none of his old friends around or when there's a new baby in the house who is grabbing all the attention. When the child is going experiencing fear, the imaginary friend helps him deal with the fear. Talking to the friend helps him tide over the sense of being scared and helpless. In situations where the child has parents who are very controlling or who make him feel unaccepted, the child may invent a fake friend who treats him the way he wished his parents did. That is a sad situation for a child to be in, but it does happen, and then the imaginary friend is such a source of comfort for the child. Know that your child's imaginary friend is very real for your child for as long as the need for such a friend exists. So, make sure you deal with the imaginary friend appropriately. Doing so will work wonders for the way your child and you communicate. He'll feel fully accepted and secure with you, and you will learn a lot more about your child than you would have otherwise.
|
Bookmark This Page: Add to Favorites Add to Del.icio.us Send to a Friend Resources: |
|||||||||||||||
