My 3 1/2 year old daughter has found a friend. Her name is Ella and she likes just about everything my daughter likes. She lives in a big house past the school where only kids can come, "no mommys". My daughter wants to spend the night at her house and Ella will feed her pancakes in the morning for breakfast.
As you might have guessed, Ella is not real, at least to my eyes. My daughter has developed her first imaginary friend. None of my other kids did this so although I've heard of it and know that it is normal, it is my first experience with it.
I try to listen and acknowledge most of it. The only stickler is that she wants to go play at her house almost everyday. She constantly tells me that she is going there and I need to drive her. When I tell her that I don't know the way, she tells me it is by "my school" just around the corner. One day as we were driving to the babysitter's house, she pointed to a house on the hill and exclaimed "there's Ella's house!" She wanted me to take her there and knock on the front door to "see if Ella is home".
What are your experiences with imaginary friends either with yourself or your kids? She is a very vocal child so she is very explicite about her friend and her desire to go to her house. I'm having a hard time coming up with reasons not to go.
HELP!
14 comments:
I wonder if this is a youngest child thing? Alex went through this about this same age. Ours were named "Nothing" and "NoOne" (really not just a Family Circle Comic) and "Vom". Vom in particular seemed to be the most mischievious. I was pretty glad when he stopped visiting!
Alex would play with them though at our house, we wouldn't have to go to their houses, lol. That's a pretty interesting twist she's giving you! You're entirely sure this isn't another little one at preschool?
What about telling her that its not safe for her to play at someone's house who doesn't have a mommy around and you thought maybe she could invite Ella to a tea party? Maybe with the fun treats and such she'll want Ella to come to her house more often!
Maybe this is a King family thing. ;) I don't have any experience with this either, but I think it's adorable. It's nice when the kids get the parents "involved" with the imaginary friend, but obviously that can only go so far.
I like Shelly's suggestion.
P.S. I love "Vom." I might have to adopt that - not as an imaginary friend, though. It reminds me of "vogue" - "that outfit is so VOM!"
I don't have any experience with this either. Maybe you could try to invite another friend over when she wants to go to Ella's house. If that is every day then make it only once a week.
If she really wants to play with Ella, I like Shelly's idea.
Maybe if those two ideas don't work, how bad would it be to take her to the house where "Ella" lives and knock on the door and ask. Maybe that would keep her from wanting to go to Ella's house if she knows there is no Ella there. Just a thought. Good Luck! Let me know how it all turns out.
No experience with that either.
But Shelly's idea sounds so VOM!
I'd totally do that.
Shelly: Yes, I'm sure it isn't a friend she knows because she's not going to pre-school and no one we know (or at church) has a child named Ella. That is a good idea about the tea party. I'll have to try that!
RaNell: You are brave! I'll have to get my courage up to go out tracting in search of Ella!
Just remember guys, VOM was the bad one. The one constantly taking things out and not putting them away. The one making rude noises...so VOM might not be such a good thing! lol
I'd tell Alex about all this but I'm afraid that would mean Vom would have to come back to visit!
None of my kids has ever had an imaginary friend. Are my kids weird?
When are you going to post about your new little baby! I want to know!!! If I can't know what mine is, I'll have to live vicariously though others!
Sorry Gabs, I posted my comment to your blog before I got my post up. Sorry for the suspense!
My second daughter has an "air friend". No name, just "My air friend". We haven't had to make any playdates, though.
Sounds like she is having a fun game with you. If you cycle through a few of the same excuses, maybe she'll tire of it?
Nettie: I have been surprised how persistant she is, but in the past couple of days she hasn't insisted we go to her house. Now she's telling me they are coming over to our house -- that I can deal with.
My sister had an imaginary friend from the time she was three until she was five. Then I thought it was a pain, but now I think it is cute. Her name was Cristy and she had a pet hippo that lived in the front yard and only ate blueberries. We always rolled our eyes when my mom told us to set a place for Christy. I see now that she just didn't want to battle it out with my sister.
Christy went away for good when my sister started Kindergarten. I think it shows imagination. My sister has always had a wild one.
Stephanie: Thanks for the encouragement. I'll hold out hope!
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