Most children have probably had imaginary friends. This imaginary friend is not always a human figure, but can also be an animal with a certain name and character, or his favorite toy. Before parents get scared, come on, find out information about children's imaginary friends!
An imaginary friend is a friend made up by a child in his imagination. Movie characters, cartoons, or story books can be a source of children's imagination. However, it could be that the imaginary friend comes purely from the child's own mind.
Many parents worry and think that a child with imaginary friends is lonely, has no real friends, or even has a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia. It's not really like that, though.
The Role of Imaginary Friends in Child Development
It is normal to have imaginary friends during childhood. Usually, children begin to have 1 or more imaginary friends from the age of 2.5 years and can last until the age of 3–7 years. Don't worry, most kids already understand that their imaginary friends are pretenders.
This imaginary friend can indirectly provide children with entertainment, as well as support. Research has even shown that having imaginary friends is a healthy form of play and brings several developmental benefits. Following are some of them:
- Building children's skills to socialize
- Improve children's creativity
- Helping children manage emotions
- Helping the child to understand the situation
- Helping children manage conflicts around them
In addition, paying attention to your child's interactions with their imaginary friends can also help you understand their fears and preferences. For example, if your imaginary friend is afraid of monsters under the bed, your little one may feel the same way.
However, you also need to know the situation to watch out for between your little one and his imaginary friend. Here are some signs that having an imaginary friend is no longer normal:
- The child has no friends or is no longer interested in making friends in real life.
- The child looks afraid of his imaginary friend and complains that his friend does not want to go.
- The child is naughty and rude, then blames his imaginary friend for his behavior.
- The child shows signs of accepting physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
How Should Parents Respond to Children Who Have Imaginary Friends?
Generally, the presence of an imaginary friend is not a sign that a child is not developing normally. Mothers can actually use this time to teach their little ones about certain values.
The following are some tips on how parents should deal with children who have imaginary friends:
1. Appreciate your child's friendship with his imaginary friend
If your little one tells about their imaginary friend, you should appreciate it by showing curiosity about their friend, as well as learning more about your little one's interests and what their imaginary friends do.
2. Don't let imaginary friends be the reason
When your child involves an imaginary friend in his excuses when he makes a mistake, don't scold him. However, make it clear that the imaginary friend is unlikely to do that. After that, give him the consequences according to his actions.
For example, if your child suddenly spills the contents of a jar because he is careless and he blames his imaginary friend, avoid scolding him like saying, "Stop pretending no wrong!" Ask him to clean up the messy contents of the jar with polite words.
3. Don't use imaginary friends to manipulate them
Appreciating your child's imaginary friend is important. However, avoid using her imaginary friend to achieve the goals you want for her.
For example, avoid saying, “That's your friend who likes to eat carrots. Does that mean you want it too?" Deep down, your little one knows that his imaginary friend is not real. So, it would be strange for him if you took his friend seriously.
4. There is no need to get involved in a child's relationship with an imaginary friend
Even though you have stated that you believe in the existence of your Little One's imaginary friend, you don't need to overdo it by joining in on the conversation with your imaginary friend.
If your little one asks you to talk to a friend, just say that you want to hear your little one's opinion.
This is important, bud, because the relationship between a child and his imaginary friend tends to last longer if the parents are also involved, and that is not good for the child's psychological development.
Basically, parents don't have to worry and try to stay calm when they find out their child has an imaginary friend. Children who have or have had imaginary friends generally grow up to be happy, creative, easy to work with and socialize with, and independent.
After the age of 7 years, imaginary friends usually begin to disappear along with busy children in elementary school. However, if your child's imaginary friend lasts longer or is considered worrying, you can take your child to consult a psychologist for proper treatment.
