My Little Girl's Imaginary Friend

Does your child ever talk about someone very fondly but you don't know of? Chances are, your child has an imaginary friend.

I really am enjoying the stage where my little girl is right now. She has come to have an imaginary friend she calls "Baby" and she usually comes out before we go to bed or everytime we come inside the bedroom. It started a few weeks back when husband and I decided to be strict on our little girl's TV-time. We have observed that she had been watching too much cartoons since the Christmas break and it was getting difficult to get her to sleep at night so we had to firm with her. Thankfully, it worked thanks to Baby. She was actually the one who imagined "Baby" and she would take care of her as if it were her own child. Before we sleep, she would change Baby's diapers, telling me, "Mommy, Baby Kaka macht." Kaka means poop and macht means made or did. She would make faces as she removes the diapers, an indication that for her, the poop stinks and it really is so funny. Then she would lay the Baby on her pillow and then pretend that she is setting the dining table in time for lunch. This scene is familiar to her from the Kindergarten so I can make the connection.

If ever your child has an imaginary friend, just let her be. It is part of their growing up and is an indication that your child is very creative. It could be a venue for you to understand how her mind works too, if you only observe at how she relates to her imaginary friend. Don't contradict your child by saying "stop pretending". Nor should you go all the way and include her imaginary friend in your world. Just let her enjoy the company of her friend; she'll probably grow out of this common childhood phase by around age 5.

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