Child's imaginary friends

[Tinkmom75]

My DS4 has several imaginary friends. It is amusing, but sometimes creepy like the other morning when he was having a quiet conversation with one of his friends on the way to daycare. I mentioned my child's imaginary friends to a coworker and he said. "Do you know what that is?" I said "Don't say it's a ghost, cause that's creepy"? He said it's a sign of Schizophrenia. I told him my son has an active imagination, but it is bothersome that he said that because he knows my mother has the condition. I'm a little upset. Imaginary friends are common aren't they. Are there any links?

 

[jeepgirl30]

I had an imaginary friend. Actually, an imaginary little brother. He did all sorts of mischief around the house.

One day I heard my parents arguing over how to punish me for eating my sisters candy. My dad was saying they couldn't punish me because I thought Tommy did it and what would happen if they forced me to realize there was no Tommy? Well heck, Tommy started eating a lot more of sister's candy!

Years later Dad and I had a good laugh. He knew I knew there was no Tommy but he got off the hook of punishing me as long as we both played the game. And I knew there was no Tommy but why spoil a good thing?

My DD9 still has imaginary friends and talks to herself constantly. if you ask she'll even say "oh its my imaginary friend".

I heard once it is a sign of brillance, I like that idea.

 

[okeydokey]

My DS4 has several imaginary friends. It is amusing, but sometimes creepy like the other morning when he was having a quiet conversation with one of his friends on the way to daycare. I mentioned my child's imaginary friends to a coworker and he said. "Do you know what that is?" I said "Don't say it's a ghost, cause that's creepy"? He said it's a sign of Schizophrenia. I told him my son has an active imagination, but it is bothersome that he said that because he knows my mother has the condition. I'm a little upset. Imaginary friends are common aren't they. Are there any links?

Are you kidding? Many many kids have imaginary friends, and it is perfectly normal. Mine did and they are not mentally ill. Please don't let your coworker worry you.

 

[glitterkittyy]

My DS4 has several imaginary friends. It is amusing, but sometimes creepy like the other morning when he was having a quiet conversation with one of his friends on the way to daycare. I mentioned my child's imaginary friends to a coworker and he said. "Do you know what that is?" I said "Don't say it's a ghost, cause that's creepy"? He said it's a sign of Schizophrenia. I told him my son has an active imagination, but it is bothersome that he said that because he knows my mother has the condition. I'm a little upset. Imaginary friends are common aren't they. Are there any links?

Your coworker is wrong.

I had an imaginary friend named Johnny Bench laughing when I was 4-5 and look how I turned out. Wait, that might not be that encouraging afterall. lol

 

[KandD]

I had imaginary friends when I was little, I don't remember when they stopped but there were two of them plus imaginary puppies.
I concocted this whole story about how my grandfather and I found the puppies at the grocery store, my mom almost had a heart attack until my grandfather let her in on the fact that they were imaginary.
I'm a normal adult and was a normal kid, no mental health issues at all. I am pretty sure it is a very normal thing.

 

[mjkacmom]

Oh please - only my most creative kids had imaginary friends (dd13 and dd8 - my twins had each other, so no need). I still remember the day when one of dd13's friend, The Beast, ran into a busy street and was killed! She was so upset! Lucky for me, DH was with her.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

My oldest DD has an imaginary dragon named Rhonda. She played and talked with her all the time. She could even give a very consistent description of her. During school, she didn't mention her much, but during the summer, Rhonda would be back. She knows she isn't real. One Christmas, she received a painting of her and Rhonda. She'll still ask about it and has said, "How did she make that? She isn't real." If she ever asks me point blank about it, I'll tell her the truth. But I think she's like me, she just enjoys the imaginary world. Why spoil it?

DD5 has an imaginary unicorn named Uni. That is one mischievious unicorn! She was much more obvious about it not being real. She went under the table and handed something to Daddy, then came out and said Uni gave it to him. Not as big a believer as her older sis, but still cute.

I have never worried about their imaginary friends. Both children know that they are imaginary.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I had an imaginary friend (his name was Brian and he did a lot of bad things). My friend's son had an imaginary friend who rented boats and did construction work on the side! We thought that was pretty interesting - certainly different from the run of the mill imaginary friends. It's not a concern. Now, if you are 20 and suddenly start having imaginary friends - that could be a sign of something...

 

[minkydog]

Schizophrenia~half the kids in America would be mentally ill if imaginary friends were a sign. My older kids both had imaginary friends. Who else do you think was doing all the naughty stuff? Certainly not them! My DD16 even had a "family" of bubbles who lived in the pipes. She would say goodbye to each one as it slipped down the drain vowing to see them tomorrow. DS23 had two imaginary friends, Zorro and Felipe, with whom he had fantasical sword fights.

Don't let this maroon upset your day. Imaginary friends are as common as dandelions.

 

[Maddle]

Imaginary friends are pretty routine. I have read that they are a sign of intelligence, and also a way for your child to process what's going on in their world. It's just part of growing up - and eventually they grow out of it.

My son had two imaginary friends, "Kristen" and "Bossy" and they drove a purple car. I don't know why one was girl and one was a boy. (At least I think Bossy was a boy.) My friend's little girl had a friend named "J. C. Penney" (I thought that was hilarious.)

BTW - I am not a professional but - since schizophrenia manifests itself in young adults, I think your friend's "diagnosis" is a bit bizarre. I hope someone with more professional training will chime in and ease your mind.


Maddle

 

[Tinkmom75]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Let's just say the last several months have been very trying with my mother. This thought had never crossed my mind about my DS.

He has 4 or 5 imaginary friends. It's hard to keep track of them, but one is naughty and isn't allow over if he can't behave better The others are good. The names are Pom, John, Shaun and Matt the naughty one. Some of them got kicked out of their houses because they had too many brothers and sisters.

 

[Debbie7452]

My kid's imaginary friend is named Michael. The way DS(he's 3) talks about him, sometimes I'm convinced Michael is the real one and I am imaginary! We don't know anyone named Michael, I have no idea how he came up with the name...

Definitely a sign of brilliance, yes sir, brilliance!

 

[Pikester]

My oldest son had an imaginary friend named Qurrial (like squrrial but no s). He outgrew him.

My youngest son never had one.

I watch so many of those paranormal shows that I would have thought it could be that too.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I had imaginary kids when I was little. Katie, Tommy, and Pointer. Pointer was always in trouble!



OP, you'll know if there is something serious wrong with your child. Right now, let them play!

 

[surfergirl602]

My DS4 has several imaginary friends. It is amusing, but sometimes creepy like the other morning when he was having a quiet conversation with one of his friends on the way to daycare. I mentioned my child's imaginary friends to a coworker and he said. "Do you know what that is?" I said "Don't say it's a ghost, cause that's creepy"? He said it's a sign of Schizophrenia. I told him my son has an active imagination, but it is bothersome that he said that because he knows my mother has the condition. I'm a little upset. Imaginary friends are common aren't they. Are there any links?

Well, if having imaginary friends is schizophrenia, then all my kids have it. My oldest DD's friend was named Charlene, after Queen Latifa in Bringin' Down the House.

 

[Amy&Dan]

OP: As you have not probably noticed, once you have kids, people will tell you those most annoying, stupid and hurtful things! Having kids just opens up the floodgates of experts in your life.

I can well imagine how that comment set you back. But imaginary friends are very common. And not a sign up anything other than an active imagination.

I think your friend was very cruel, if he knows your mom suffers from this, he also knows all he has to do is mention that condition in context to your son to make you freak out. Nice. Real nice.

I had an imaginary friend. His name was Robert Phil. Robert Phil in my mind, looked like my cousin Jimmy. He and I had all sorts of adventures. He kept me company when my brother and sister were at school. Then one day, like most guys, he began to annoy me! So I told my family the sad news that Robet Phil had gotten wedged in the back seat of our 66 Mustang (there was this space between the seat and the side of the car and I once had a doll I think that got stuck in there so that is what must have given me this sinister idea) and had died. The best thing about imaginary friends is that when you get sick of them, they are easily removed from your life!

So not only did I have Schizophrenia, I also had the makings of a serial killer!

Ignore your co worker!

 

[kristilew]

When DD was 5 and 6, she had an imaginary horse named Charger. He would go wherever we went, and if I drove too fast, she would have a fit that Charger couldn't keep up. She would always carefully tie his reins to the door handle when we parked. It was very consistent and she was very serious about him, didn't like to be teased, etc.

The Christmas she was 6, Santa brought a huge stuffed horse, complete with saddle. Big enough that, at 12, she can still sit on him. I thought she'd be so excited to see that horse by the tree with a bow on it, but she was very laid-back about it. Her comment: "Oh, you can see him now?"

But, he never went anywhere with us again. Obviously, he couldn't be in two places at once....

Your kid is fine. Probably processing something he's heard at daycare about families with lots of kids, or kids acting naughty. Enjoy it while it lasts. They process so much more loudly and annoyingly when they're tweens!

 

[Jenvenza]

Your co-worker probably watched the same episode of Oprah as I did. It was about young children with Schizophrenia. Even though Schizophrenia is rare in kids, they said a lot of them have imaginary friends. But they did not mean that all kids who have imaginary friends have Schizophrenia!!! That would be ridiculous!!! I wouldnt worry about a thing!

 

[Imzadi]

BTW - I am not a professional but - since schizophrenia manifests itself in young adults, I think your friend's "diagnosis" is a bit bizarre. I hope someone with more professional training will chime in and ease your mind.

Yes, I've read that, too. It usually starts showing up around 16 years old. (Not a professional about this either.)

Plus, how do we know that most "diagnosed" schizophrenics really aren't seeing ghosts?


I had a BF who dragged me to Native American celebrations & medicine wheel gatherings and such. He told me about a story of this young woman who was institutionalized many times, for many years at a time by her DH. One time, she was out of the institution for a while. She attended a Medicine Wheel gathering, saw the Native American shaman/medicine man, go into a trance/reverie state, see other people, talk, meditate, communicate, dance, go into a dance "frenzy," spout out passages of wisdome, etc.

The woman recognised and realized that is exactly the same stuff she does. Only, she was diagnosed by the Caucasian culture as being Schizophrenic, while the Native Americans revered their people in these states.

She studied shamanism and joined in with the Native American culture. She ended up divorcing her husband, who still thought she was crazy. Her name is Joan Halifax. She has become one of the revered, honored wise women, shamans and Zen teachers of our time. her work has been respected by the Dalai Lama & mythologist/author/historian Joseph Campbell. She is considered no slouch in her community.

I'm not saying your child will grow up to be a shaman. But, maybe a fiction writer, writing stuff like Ghost Whisperer or The Sixth Sense?

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I want to go and watch "Drop Dead Fred" now after reading this thread!