Moms of imaginative ones....A ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2003
Moms of imaginative ones....A ?
2
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 1:04pm

So, my daughter (3.7 yo) has a lot of imaginary friends lately. While I think that's great I wonder sometimes about whether I should interject into her fantasy play. Recently there have been a lot of "fights" with her imaginary friends. For example, Saturday she spent a lot of the day with a sock on her hand that she said was Kermit (A little obsessed with the Muppet Movie at the moment). She talked to Kermit a lot and then "they" had a fight that resulted in Kivrin hitting Kermit several times. We don't allow hitting at all because she's bigger and stronger than most kids in her preschool class and even a little tolerance could open up some big problems. So, in that instance, do I tell her it's not all right to hit Kermit? Or would that be keeping her from acting out her frustrations in a controlled way?

Also, she bickers constantly with "Madison" and it's driving me a little nuts. Is it all right to tell her that "Madison" can't play here anymore...or should I approach it more as a way to find out what's really going on? I think there's a little girl in her class that is named Madison (pretty, blond, girlie and mature if its the one I'm thinking of), but Kivrin swears the Madison that won't ever let her sleep isn't the Madison in her class.

And how much time do you let your child spend in their fantasy world? I know I've asked something similar in the past, but I'm still confused. If I allowed it she would always pretend to be someone or something else and surround herself with creatures of her imagination. She talks from the time she wakes up until she passes out at night to all kinds of made up characters. Sometimes it's not even in real words. She tells jokes to her "friends" in made up syllables and then laughs and laughs. She has whole conversations with herself and so I tune it out. Then if she's been talking to me and I don't respond she gets into the repetition cycle. "Mommy. I need juice. Mommy. I need juice. Mommy. I need juice..."...and on and on until she has juice. DH and Kivrin and I spent the whole weekend together this past one and by Sunday night my husand asked "Does she *ever* stop?" No. No, she doesn't.----But now I'm just rambling.

TIA, Mary

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 1:51pm

Mary,

I wish I could help on this one...but Nathan only has one imaginary friend, and he doesn't show up all the time! His friend is Spongebob, and he rarely makes an appearance these days. Sorry!

michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-09-2005
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 2:53pm

I know the imaginary ones are the exception rather than the rule, but Liam is also incredibly creative and has a good imagination, albeit a little off center, shall we say.

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