3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

Do your children have imaginary friends?

Alex has three - DeDe, GoGo and BaBa. It started out with her blaming one of them anytime something was missing, or she got in trouble for doing something.

Then it turned into "But DeDe didn't get a piece of candy" when I tell her no more.

And now? Lately she keeps saying that DeDe or GoGo hit her. She does it randomly, out of the blue, and also often does it when I'm mad at her, and disciplining her, I think as a ploy for attention and kisses to distract me from the issue at hand.

So, I guess I'm asking... is my kid crazy?

Message edited 12/29/2008 11:54:29 AM.

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

No imaginary friends here! But she tells such stories....AND LIES....that I assume an imaginary friend will be coming soon! Especially once her brother starts talking and she cant blame everything on him anymore

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

My mother said I had an imaginary friend named Captain when I was really little. He just disappeared one day. He was more of a friend. My mom asked my ped at the time and he said it was normal. And I think I turned out pretty normal.

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

DS doesn't actually tell me he has any, but when he's falling asleep at night (or sometimes in the middle of the night when he wakes up) I hear him laughing hysterically and having conversations. He also giggles and sings. All this is very loud and if he hears us coming he stops. So I figure it's either an imaginary friend or a ghost!

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

My nephew had 2 at about that age. Mike and Kooby...he talked about them ALL of the time!!

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

Supposedly it is a sign of creativity.
DD is still too little but DH and I both had an imaginary friend when we were little. Mine even had his own seat at holidays and other family parties!

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

I was just visiting my SIL and brother, niece and new nephew and my niece who is 4 has a whole bunch--all her brothers and sisters. She does the same thing. She gets in arguments with them, blames them, asks for things for them, etc. She makes my SIL put a coat on them when they go out. She even yelled at my mom for not making enough room for one on the couch because "Kylie has a big hiney".

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

I'm a PK teacher & in my class 2 children have imaginary friends. One girl has 3; complete with birthdays (weekly) & entire families ("Louise has 3 brothers and a sister") & surprisingly she keeps it all together (she'll remember the next week).

It definitely is a sign of creativity. I know in the one child's case she is home alone often (dad works long hours & her next sibling is 17, she's 4), so I guess she does it to keep herself amused.

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

My son will be 4 in February. He has an imaginary friend, John, who has been around for quite some time now - maybe since the summer. John is his helper (they do construction/landscaping/etc type work) and lives with him in his "other house" with his pet liger (half lion and tiger - we saw this animal on Rachel Ray one day). His other house appears to be the clubhouse on his swingset in the yard. He has a crush on these twin girls from school and a few months back they lived with us for quite a bit. I had to dress them, bathe them, serve them dinner, etc. It was a big obsession and a bit nutty. The twins have died down as far as living with us but John still is around and not going anywhere soon. My son has a crazy imagination. The stories are incredible. I hear it is a sign of creative, bright kids - who knows...I can hope. Also heard it is very common with first born children.

Message edited 12/29/2008 10:00:19 PM.

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

It is definitly normal. I actually just got this e-mail today Imaginary Friends

Message edited 12/30/2008 6:17:08 AM.

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

Since Talia could talk she told us about her friend 'Mouse'. He does everything with us and is quite the trouble maker.

In the past year she also has also adopted a friend named 'Shrut'.

About three weeks ago she told me she has two sisters that play together all the time..."Boca" and "Biggle". There is a third sister sometimes in the mix but her name is weird and I never get it right.

There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't mention mouse, shrut, boca and biggle. So if Alex is crazy - then T is REALLY nuts !!!

Re: 3 year old moms - imaginary friends?

Posted by MrsR

Since Talia could talk she told us about her friend 'Mouse'. He does everything with us and is quite the trouble maker.

In the past year she also has also adopted a friend named 'Shrut'.

About three weeks ago she told me she has two sisters that play together all the time..."Boca" and "Biggle". There is a third sister sometimes in the mix but her name is weird and I never get it right.

There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't mention mouse, shrut, boca and biggle. So if Alex is crazy - then T is REALLY nuts !!!