How to Accept a Child's Pretend Friend
Pretend friends are one of those things that some parents have to deal with while others do not. A child's tendency to have a pretend friend varies on a case-by-case basis; whereas some cannot possibly do without their imaginary friends, there are other children who don't have that active of an imagination--at least in that respect.For parents, the hardest part of your child having a pretend friend is accepting things that you cannot see. Accepting a child's pretend friend may end up being a little easier than you thought.
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Instructions
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Talk to your child. It may seem weird at first that he has a pretend friend, but the first step in accepting the pretend friend is getting to know the friend just as you would any other. Talking about your child's imaginary friend with him may give you some helpful insight into the mind of your child.
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Ask questions. Get as much information as possible about your little one's pretend friend. What is the friend's name? How long have they been friends? What do they like to do together? What is it that makes the pretend friend so much better than friends in the neighborhood or at school?
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Do some research. The Internet is a great source of information as far as studies and research are concerned. You can also talk to professionals at your local school district, check out the local library, or read some parenting magazines.
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Reach out. Talk to the parents of other children at your child's school or in your community. Share your experiences with your child and his pretend friend, and see if you can't get someone else to open up about their experiences. Many parents don't talk about imaginary friends because they think that their child is alone in their active imagination. If you are comfortable sharing, other parents will be, too. A national newspaper says that nearly two-thirds of children have played with an imaginary friend before, and that a great deal of these children retain these pretend friends through the age of 7.
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Relax. Pretend friends go away after time. In the meantime, encourage interaction between your child and human friends. If all else fails, get a pet!
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Tips & Warnings
Enroll your child in vacation Bible school, day camp, or anything else that gets him out of the house and around real kids.
Talk to your child's teachers about social interaction with other kids at school. Work with them to make changes, if needed.
Don't tell your child that his pretend friend isn't real. Most of the time, kids already know this.
Never tell your child he isn't allowed to play with his pretend friend. It will probably make things worse.
