Imaginary Friends In-Depth Questionnaire

Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie 10/31/2011

I'm watching this movie on Lifetime Movie Network about a little girl who has an imaginary friend, and I got to wondering some pretty serious things. What makes a kid believe they really see someone? Is there someone there that adults can't see or believe in anymore? How many of you had imaginary friends? Or your kids? Is it acceptable to play along, or should we squash the imaginary friend, and at what age is it appropriate to do so?

I wonder how I would react to my (hypothetical) child playing with or telling me s/he had a friend I couldn't physically observe. I imagine it would creep me out.

When I was little I would pretend I had an imaginary friend named Kelly. I knew other kids had imaginary friends, and I felt like it was the normal thing to do, play with invisible people. My parents would just nod and smile, not acknowledging or encouraging Kelly, but not completely discrediting her, probably hoping in time that I'd grow out of a thing I never believed in in the first place. So I'd like input from everyone who has something to say! :D

Invited: All users.

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Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
As a kid, did you have an imaginary friend? More than one? I'd love to hear about him or her!
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
68
19
66
Total votes: 153 (152 voters)
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10/31/2011
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Contributor: Lucidity Lucidity
I really wanted an imaginary friend as a kid, but could never keep one
10/31/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by Lucidity
I really wanted an imaginary friend as a kid, but could never keep one
What do you mean by that? They kept leaving you?
10/31/2011
Contributor: Lucidity Lucidity
Haha, no, I just couldn't believe enough. I believed in all sorts of science fiction and fantasy stuff, but I just felt silly trying to have a conversation with someone who wasn't there.
10/31/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by Lucidity
Haha, no, I just couldn't believe enough. I believed in all sorts of science fiction and fantasy stuff, but I just felt silly trying to have a conversation with someone who wasn't there.
That was my problem. I just couldn't believe. I believe in all sorts of things, like faeries and werewolves and ghosts, but imaginary friends are called that for a reason, in my mind. I could never get past that.
10/31/2011
Contributor: GravyCakes GravyCakes
i had 1 or 2 imaginary friends when i was little, but i kept it to myself. for me, it was just 2 friends that i made up in my head & pretended to talk to when i was alone. & by alone, i mean in my room or in the backyard, not in public. i never believed that they actually existed, i just liked pretending that i had a friend or 2 w/ me when i was alone & bored.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
I didn't have one consistent imanginary friend, but when I was playing I would often pretend someone else was playing with me. My imaginary friends were usually animals(especially foxes and wolves) and we would play in the prairie behind my house.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Lucidity Lucidity
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
That was my problem. I just couldn't believe. I believe in all sorts of things, like faeries and werewolves and ghosts, but imaginary friends are called that for a reason, in my mind. I could never get past that.
Same!
10/31/2011
Contributor: The Curious Couple The Curious Couple
I never had an imaginary friend, but I think it's because I have a sister who is close to my age. We were (are still are) inseparable.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Sweet-Justice Sweet-Justice
I did. But not for long because my dad made fun of me.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
I didn't. I wanted one, but I knew they weren't real, so didn't see much point.
11/01/2011
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
As a kid, did you have an imaginary friend? More than one? I'd love to hear about him or her!
I dont remember having an imaginary friend, but I did have stuffed animals who all had their own personalities
11/01/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by Sweet-Justice
I did. But not for long because my dad made fun of me.
That's so wrong
11/01/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by eroticmutt
I dont remember having an imaginary friend, but I did have stuffed animals who all had their own personalities
I had the same thing! ^_^
11/01/2011
Contributor: Bignuf Bignuf
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
As a kid, did you have an imaginary friend? More than one? I'd love to hear about him or her!
I thought my friend was imaginary..then others saw him and so I guess..despite the strange teeth and green hair, the dude must be real???!!!
11/01/2011
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
Hmm...I put yes, but I had imaginary friends and then I had people that I saw that I did not create. However, I'm Bipolar and kinda crazy, so my situation is different than most people... The ones I made up were a lot better. X.x
11/06/2011
Contributor: Jaimes Jaimes
My imaginary friend wasn't static. It would change all the time. Really, it was more a character for me to talk with in my little imaginary plays and scenes.
11/08/2011
Contributor: GenderSexplorations GenderSexplorations
I had an imaginary friend. I was very young when I stopped having one though, I think.
11/08/2011
Contributor: SiNn SiNn
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
As a kid, did you have an imaginary friend? More than one? I'd love to hear about him or her!
I had a few and honestly in a sence i still have them because sometiems when im all alone here at my house ill talk out loud like theyr still around
11/27/2011
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
I had one named Suzi and to this day my brother calls me Suzi-Q!
12/05/2011
Contributor: SexyTabby SexyTabby
I had one her name was Shonie.
12/05/2011
Contributor: mandaj mandaj
i never did. but i did have a blanket tht went everywhere with me and i called it nap lol
12/05/2011
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
I remember pretending to have one because it seemed like a fun idea but I didn't put much mental energy into it. I never actually believed in it or remembered anything about it after, oh, twenty minutes or so of playing.
02/12/2012
Contributor: acessorie acessorie
I never had one and neither did my kids.
02/19/2012
Contributor: Mwar Mwar
I don't know if it was mentioned, but you are much more likely to have an imaginary friend before school age, so you might not remember it. However, you are much more likely to have a personified object when you were a kid, like a stuffed bear you named and kept with you AT ALL times. That you ALWAYS remember.
02/19/2012
Contributor: Badass Badass
i dont remember him, but my mom told me about him
02/19/2012
Contributor: sweetcuppincakes sweetcuppincakes
I did. And imaginary pets. I grew out of it sometime in elementary school.
02/26/2012
Contributor: Djiffy Djiffy
I had some imaginary pet dogs for a while. :p
02/27/2012
Contributor: BeepBop BeepBop
Haha. I had three: Guy-eggo, Ickabob, and Margaret the Hippie.

The weird part is that Guy-eggo stopped being friends with me because I wouldn't stop blaming things on him.
04/26/2012
Contributor: BeepBop BeepBop
Quote:
Originally posted by mandaj
i never did. but i did have a blanket tht went everywhere with me and i called it nap lol
Just thought I'd note that this is REALLY cute.
04/26/2012
Contributor: Teacookie Teacookie
i had books
04/26/2012
Contributor: BlooJay BlooJay
I did not
08/27/2012
Contributor: Ganconagh Ganconagh
Yup...Barbara
08/27/2012
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
I tried creating a few.
08/28/2012
Contributor: Allstars316 Allstars316
Yes I'm sure I did have one. Just another one to talk to
08/29/2012
Contributor: LadyDarknezz LadyDarknezz
I had plenty...and I still remember their names.
08/29/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
As a kid, did you have an imaginary friend? More than one? I'd love to hear about him or her!
I never had one...my brother had an imaginary parrot named Bob.
08/29/2012
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
I am not sure if I did or not.
08/29/2012
Contributor: SecretKinksters SecretKinksters
Neither of us had one.
08/29/2012
Contributor: LovesAPoet LovesAPoet
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
That was my problem. I just couldn't believe. I believe in all sorts of things, like faeries and werewolves and ghosts, but imaginary friends are called that for a reason, in my mind. I could never get past that.
I think that's why I don't remember having one. All my friends did and which made me want one, but I was too busy conjuring up stories in my head.
08/29/2012
Contributor: Ex-prude Ex-prude
I had an imaginary cat. It was completely based on my cat at the time. Yeah, I know, why have an imaginary one when I have the same one but real? Well, cats are finicky.
08/29/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
I don't particularly remember having one, but I've been told by my mother-in-law that my husband had one. Apparently, his name was George.
08/29/2012
Contributor: Terri69 Terri69
i didn't have one
08/29/2012
Contributor: Rey Rey
i had one in Primary school; Milko.
He existed mostly for me to blame things on ;D
08/30/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
I did but I don't remember much about him/her
08/31/2012
Contributor: Intrepid Niddering Intrepid Niddering
I always wanted one because I watched Drop Dead Fred all the time when I was a kid. I wanted him to come be my imaginary friend, or anyone like him. But I never got one. (I also grew up in a complex that had a lot of other kids, so I was never in need of friends.)
09/04/2012
Contributor: MissCandyland MissCandyland
I didn't have one.
09/05/2012
Contributor: SkylarrStarr SkylarrStarr
I had, and still have, a very active imagination. I would set booby traps for Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazzard and set places at the dinner table for Cinderella. My parents encouraged my creativity and allowed me to explore my whims and such. I was a pretty lucky kid.
09/13/2012
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
If you had an imaginary friend, how old were you? I'll make more than one age selectable if you were "friends" for more than one year.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
25
32
32
29
29
23
17
21
Total votes: 208 (82 voters)
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10/31/2011
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Contributor: Taylor Taylor
I had mine from about age 6-9
10/31/2011
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
If you had an imaginary friend, how old were you? I'll make more than one age selectable if you were "friends" for more than one year.
Until I was at least 6
11/01/2011
Contributor: GenderSexplorations GenderSexplorations
As young as I can remember until about nine.
11/08/2011
Contributor: SiNn SiNn
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
If you had an imaginary friend, how old were you? I'll make more than one age selectable if you were "friends" for more than one year.
i had them for along time specially when iw as lonely
11/27/2011
Contributor: SexyTabby SexyTabby
I don't honestly remember her but everyone tells me stories about her so I'm thinkin around 4 or 5 yrs old.
12/05/2011
Contributor: Secret Pleasure Secret Pleasure
I honestly don't remember if I did or not and my parents have never told me anything about me having one so idk.
02/11/2012
Contributor: Badass Badass
From about age to to age 6...
02/19/2012
Contributor: BlooJay BlooJay
Didn't have one that I know of
08/27/2012
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
I still talk to my friend
08/28/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
probably around 6-7
08/31/2012
Contributor: J5ive J5ive
I was 4 or 5
09/08/2012
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
I'm wondering how your parents dealt with your imaginary friend. Did they play along and interact with him/her? Did they just go with it without encouraging or belittling them? Or did they tell you your friend wasn't real?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
22  (29%)
48  (64%)
5  (7%)
Total votes: 75
Poll is open
10/31/2011
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Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
I'm wondering how your parents dealt with your imaginary friend. Did they play along and interact with him/her? Did they just go with it without encouraging or belittling them? Or did they tell you your friend wasn't real?
Well I wasnt pretending to have an invisible person there with me, just attributing consciousness to toys, like girls who teaparty with plushies and stuff. my parents didnt mind
11/01/2011
Contributor: CoffeeCup CoffeeCup
I honestly don't think I ever mentioned it to my parents.
11/01/2011
Contributor: GenderSexplorations GenderSexplorations
My mom kinda went with it. *shrug*
11/08/2011
Contributor: Badass Badass
my mom played along, but my dad did not.
02/19/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
She was fine with it, but one time she sort of played along and "kicked them out" in hopes I would make more real friends and not need the imaginary ones.
But life in a single parent household as an only child was really depressingly lonely sometimes so I just kept having my imaginary friends.

To be honest, that's actually why I want at least two children someday, and for them to be close in age so they always have each other.
08/28/2012
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
They don't know about my friend
08/28/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
I'm pretty sure my mom played along.
08/31/2012
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
If you have any children, do they have imaginary friends? If you have more than one child, did/do they all have imaginary friends, or just one or two of them?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
5  (10%)
31  (65%)
3  (6%)
2  (4%)
6  (12%)
1  (2%)
Total votes: 48
Poll is open
10/31/2011
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Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
If you have any children, do they have imaginary friends? If you have more than one child, did/do they all have imaginary friends, or just one or two of them?
I do not have children, nor will I
11/01/2011
Contributor: Jammin14580 Jammin14580
I don't have kids.
12/01/2011
Contributor: Gracie Gracie
I taught preschool for many years and this is perfectly normal.
02/19/2012
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
I don't have any kids
08/28/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
If you have any children, do they have imaginary friends? If you have more than one child, did/do they all have imaginary friends, or just one or two of them?
My little one is not quite 3, but who knows later on!
08/29/2012
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
I have two children so far I have not noticed them having any.
08/29/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
I'm going with "Other" on this one. I have two kids, but only one is old enough to have an imaginary friend, (the other is just a few months old, so yeah...). While I haven't noticed him talking about anyone, there are other things he does that make me think that he might be seeing something/someone.

Sometimes he'll wake up in the middle of the night and start pointing to a corner of the room and just ramble. And I mean he's full-on AWAKE; perfectly alert and coherent, not groggy or half-asleep. There's also been times where he's talked in his sleep (which I understand is normal), but for some reason he's always saying "Get out!", or something similar.
08/29/2012
Contributor: AwesomeAmanda AwesomeAmanda
My daughter has several imaginary friends. I dont think its a big issue. She is 5. She knows they are imaginary. Occasionaly she will use them to try to get out of trouble for something she did. Her imaginary friends names are poofy and sally. she has had them since she was 3. She was an only child till 4 1/2.
09/27/2012
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
If you have children who have/had imaginary friends, how do/did you handle it?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
39  (83%)
6  (13%)
2  (4%)
Total votes: 47
Poll is open
10/31/2011
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Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
If you have children who have/had imaginary friends, how do/did you handle it?
I would encourage it. Creativity and looking outside of the box are major things these days. People used to have more imagination, but now they rely completely on images in TV, Video games, etc. I think an imaginary friend is actually a step in the right direction because the kid is depending on their own mind, which counts as developing themselves. They KNOW their imaginary friend isn't real. I am sure you won't ever see them crying on the floor because their friend disappeared or said something mean to them- they are using pretty advance reasoning for their age to know this person does not exist but still hold that abstract image in their mind.
11/01/2011
Contributor: Jammin14580 Jammin14580
I'd be okay with it, if I had a kid
12/01/2011
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
Don't have a kid
08/28/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
Again, this depends. If he seems distraught about whatever he is seeing, I tell him that everything is alright, and act like I'm telling "it" to go away and leave him alone. If he seems totally cool with it, I'll usually just let him be.
08/29/2012
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
What do you think imaginary friends are? Are they an expression of early creativity? Are they manifestations of feelings we're afraid, or don't know how, to express as kids? Could they be actual entities only children can interact with? discuss these things in this thread!
10/31/2011
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Contributor: Ansley Ansley
I think they're scapegoats.
10/31/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I think they're scapegoats.
Scapegoats? What do you mean?
10/31/2011
Contributor: Cherrylane Cherrylane
Scapegoats are essentially things/people you use as an excuse to shirk or displace responsibility.

In the case of imaginary friends, I think of a kid doing something rude or that they aren't supposed to, being asked why and saying their friend told them to, or saying that they themselves didn't do it, it was the imaginary friend.
10/31/2011
Contributor: MeliPixie MeliPixie
Quote:
Originally posted by Cherrylane
Scapegoats are essentially things/people you use as an excuse to shirk or displace responsibility.

In the case of imaginary friends, I think of a kid doing something rude or that they aren't supposed to, being asked why and saying their ... more
Ah. That makes sense. But I mean in the way that children truly believe they are seeing and playing with a real physical friend, what is going on? Not just in the trouble-making sort of way.
10/31/2011
Contributor: GravyCakes GravyCakes
i had 1 or 2 imaginary friends when i was little, but i didn't tell anyone about them. i wasn't ashamed or anything, i just pretended they existed when i was alone & bored (alone as in in my room or backyard alone, not in public). i never believed they actually existed, they were really just a way for me to entertain myself.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
My imaginary friends were usually animals, I know I spent a lot of time thinking about what it would be like to be an animal and how much fun it would be. I think my imaginary friends were just an extension of my desire to be an animal.
10/31/2011
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
Quote:
Originally posted by Taylor
My imaginary friends were usually animals, I know I spent a lot of time thinking about what it would be like to be an animal and how much fun it would be. I think my imaginary friends were just an extension of my desire to be an animal.
I agree with this!
10/31/2011
Contributor: Ace <3 Ace <3
They are a way for a child to talk about what is going on in their life whether or not its for their own way to think through problems or a way for an adult to figure it out
10/31/2011
Contributor: wrecklesswords wrecklesswords
I actually had several imaginary friends. A whole cast of them, actually. I remember them around maybe 5 or 6 years old. I don't remember any of their names, but they were my friends when I didn't have any. I remember that I usually only saw them when I was playing like I was in a movie or TV show and we were acting. I think I actually had them until I was about 12 or 13 before they finally really stopped... being relevant to my life. When I was younger, though. They were always the other colored Power Rangers to me being the Pink Ranger.

When I was about 16 or so, when I thought about it, it was embarrassing to think that I had imaginary friends until I was a pre-teen. I mean, I wasn't a loner, I had friends in school, and sometimes I had sleep-overs with them. And my parents paid me a lot of attention, I was the only child. I had a serious average childhood. No abuse, no tragedy, no divorce. Nothing that would cause me to seek out friends of my own imagining. But as I got older, I decided that it was okay to have had them.

I honestly think imaginary friends are pretty normal under most circumstances. Now, if a child starts ignoring other aspects of life, or people, or activities in order to play with their imaginary friends, I think that may become and issue, but I don't think a parent should actively discourage imaginary friends.

I think they are an outlet for children to be creative, and also I think that in some ways, it may help with social anxieties in some child. They have their imaginary friend there to encourage them and to stimulate their minds.
11/01/2011
Contributor: eroticmutt eroticmutt
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
What do you think imaginary friends are? Are they an expression of early creativity? Are they manifestations of feelings we're afraid, or don't know how, to express as kids? Could they be actual entities only children can interact with? ... more
I believe imaginary friends are just another mental image a kid conjures up. Remember sitting in cardboard boxes and pretending they are cars or space ships? Looking out the top when all you see is the living room or front lawn but acting like you see animals in a safari? Just now instead of them pretending to see scenery or animals, the kids pretend there is a person. Same concept.
11/01/2011
Contributor: CoffeeCup CoffeeCup
I "played" with people that weren't there, but I didn't really believe they were real. It was just a game.
11/01/2011
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
I had imaginary friends because I was a rather strange child and not too many people liked dealing with me. So it was a way to have friends and not be totally removed from society, I guess. I mean, I had some friends, but not a lot. I'm an only child, so no siblings to play with. I also have a pretty active imagination so it was easier to create friends rather than try to make them and be rejected over and over.

Wow, how depressing in comparison to other people's reasons. Jeez!
11/06/2011
Contributor: TheSlyFox TheSlyFox
I loved my imaginary friends, they were sort of like an extension of my thoughts..
11/07/2011
Contributor: Jaimes Jaimes
Quote:
Originally posted by MeliPixie
What do you think imaginary friends are? Are they an expression of early creativity? Are they manifestations of feelings we're afraid, or don't know how, to express as kids? Could they be actual entities only children can interact with? ... more
I feel that for most adults, we are capable of having inner dialogues with our conscious, in order to gauge the logic or credibility of feelings, decisions, and general philosophies. I feel that children feel the need do the same thing, as part of their mental and emotional development. However, they have not refined or developed the sense of having the conversation with themselves. They are still in a phase where they learn from others, what they see, hear, feel, etc; whereas adults have transitioned into learning things on their own, or without example. So, in order for kids to have a sounding board for experiences and thoughts, they talk to someone else, or pretend that someone is talking to them. This is also a creative outlet. It is a way to share creative thoughts and ideas with someone who understands them.

I still enjoy talking to imaginary people. Its a way for me to physically form words and phrases into a logical point, and as a tool to better understand my own perspective. If I just think about it, there isn't a clear, linear logic. Using words and conversation forces me to straighten it all out, and gives me a clearer picture of what I am thinking, or feeling. It also helps pass time in a very mentally active way, and fosters creativity.
11/08/2011
Contributor: GenderSexplorations GenderSexplorations
My thoughts: Entities created by the minds of young children to account for the excess creativity caused by the rapid growing and changing of the young brain.
11/08/2011
Contributor: SexyTabby SexyTabby
Apparently I used mine as the one who did everything wrong but my children only have used an imaginary friend as a playmate when no one else played with them.
12/05/2011
Contributor: DreamWolf DreamWolf
I always wondered about this too...

I never had one and never knew anyone who had any, in my age or any other ages... I only saw a girl in her 20s talking to someone who wasn't there, but I was told that she was mentally "ill" (I really don't like this word, gonna explain why), so I didn't count it into this topic...

I wonder so much about this also because it is known that kids, especially at veryvery young ages, are more sensitive when it comes to astral things... (Astral is meant to be the "unseen world", another layer of reality, what you see in yer dreams, when you hallucinate, when you have a ghost experience, and things like that, a little more complicated but pretty much like that... )
So if they really see something then indeed IT IS THERE, and another thing must be added here...
Then they could be called insane, but also, in manymany cultures such people were considered to be shamans, better to say possible shamans (it needs a LOT of learning to become a real shaman), people who have a greater sensitivity when it comes to the unseen world...
For example in many Native American tribes crazy people were sacred, because they saw things others couldn't...
Also, the most precise definition of insanity I heard (in my opinion) is that insanity is when the very thin layer between the seen and unseen world breaks the person sees stuff (s)he isn't supposed to see... I do believe that such things can be achieved intentionally, and can be stopped the same way too, and some people are born with a greater sensitivity...
So on that note, it is no accident why most of us cannot see such things, but some can, without intentionally doing it, those are considered in many cultures to be the people who have this sensitivity because they are to help others...
Of course some experience things which are really crazy and horrible, so it is just a very unfortunate case of such abilities... It always depends on the person too... And there are many harmful beings out there too, so it's better not to play with such things, and if someone is really into it then many cautions must be taken to do everything alright... ^^

And oh well... Even if kids "grow it out", let's say in the case of really seeing and hearing someone, it should be considered to be a natural thing that some see such things easy in younger ages, not to mention that the fact that something isn't admitted by "modern science" doesn't mean that it can't be true, life and the universe are way wider than what we are able to understand, and on the top of that there are things scientists know about already, which are things what religions and beliefs said, so they are proven but not widely known, so I do think that in the case of "imaginary friends" the lil kid should be handled in a way that the parents keep it in mind that indeed, maybe (s)he really sees something, and it needs enough knowledge, medical, psychological and spiritual too, to know what to do, and if the kid is a possible more sensitive one, just our society represses such things, which is a total ignominious shame in my opinion... ^^
02/12/2012
Contributor: kawigrl kawigrl
I had an imaginary pony so I didn't really talk to it, I also never really "saw" anything
02/19/2012
Contributor: BeepBop BeepBop
I agree with the scapegoating thing, but think there are several other reasons.

One primary reason is to practice theory of mind and social interaction when other children aren't there. When someone creates another person, they must allow themselves to imagine what another person (even imaginary) is thinking or feeling. The ability to do this (aka loss of egocentrism) occurs around late early-childhood, or about six years of age. The idea that children do this to practice understanding other perspectives is supported by your poll- the number of us who had imaginary friends spikes at 6-7 years of age, the age when children break past egocentricism and begin to imagine things from others' points of view.


(I can tell I've been in developmental psych too long, even though I never show up.)
04/26/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
For me, they were someone to interact and play with so I wouldn't feel as lonely when my mother was at work (most of my babysitters didn't really play with me or anything, I'd just be sat in front of a tv with cartoons on it and once in a while they'd ask if I needed anything).
08/28/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
Quote:
Originally posted by Ace <3
They are a way for a child to talk about what is going on in their life whether or not its for their own way to think through problems or a way for an adult to figure it out
...thank god I'm not the only one, I like to have a nice conversation with imaginary people now and then when I'm alone to vent or try and figure out issues plaguing me at the moment.
@_@
08/28/2012
Contributor: panthercat23 panthercat23
Mine was just someone for me to talk to and play with because I had no one and my parents were not the best parents.
08/28/2012
Contributor: Billie Bones Billie Bones
My imaginary friend was a unicorn. I think that children's creativity manifests itself in many ways, imaginary friends being one of them, and that creativity should be encouraged. I'm an adult and I still like to build forts and play pretend with my close friends.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
08/28/2012
Contributor: Abombadong Abombadong
Imaginary friends and imaginary companions are a psychological and social phenomenon where a friendship or other interpersonal relationship takes place in the imagination rather than external physical reality.

They reveal, according to several theories of psychology, a child's anxieties, fears, goals and perceptions of the world through that child's conversations.

Some child development professionals still believe that the presence of imaginary friends past early childhood signals a serious psychiatric disorder. Others disagree, saying that imaginary friends are common among school-age children and are part of normal social-cognitive development.



-Wikipedia
08/28/2012
Contributor: Nora29714 Nora29714
Broad imagenation.
08/29/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
Honestly, I have no clue. I'm not necessarily a big believer in ghosts and the like, but sometimes... I dunno. Before our son was even born (but while I was pregnant with him), there were "weird goings on" in our house. I couldn't tell you how many times our one dog would all of a sudden tense up, hair standing on end, and just stare (and occasionally growl) at, well, nothing. For hours on end! We've seen disconnected shadows on the walls, heard voices, barking (that sounded exactly like the dog, which wouldn't be weird if we hadn't put him down nearly a year before), and a bunch of other flat-out wacky stuff.

To me what makes it slightly more convincing is that my husband's family has a bit of a "history" of recently dead relatives stopping by to deliver the news. The night his (great-?) grandfather died, his little sister (who was I think 6 at the time) woke up from her sleep to inform everyone that he was "going away now".

So while I would like to say that it's just his imagination, sometimes I'm not so sure.
08/29/2012
Contributor: amazon amazon
Never experienced this
09/21/2012