To refuse to play along with imaginary friend

@MonsteraMama Never mind Marcus, please tell us more about Klaus! Why did he have no skin?

That's terrifying!

He had a polka dot umbrella for the sun I believe. My mam wrote down all the Klaus stories somewhere, I'll have to dig them out one day. Tim Burton would probably love them.

"Klaus the man with no skin"

Oh my god you are in a horror movie.
Klaus is real. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

and I had unicorns who lived in the clouds - they would come down after dark and I would fly away on them....

I had an imaginary pony I used to ride everywhere. My mum played along but my oldest brother hated it. Used to tell me it wasn't real all the time and it used to upset me, like my whole fantasy burst every time. I was about the same age. It's just play, I'm perfectly healthy minded as an adult with my own children now who love to play pretend the same ways. Get involved. She's only little for so long

It's not uncommon for children to have an imaginary friend. I had an imaginary friend, my Mum took me to see the Doctor because she was concerned it wasn't 'normal'. She was told that it's something some children have, it's not uncommon and I would grow out of it. My imaginary friend was called Burr and his friend was Gong (I have no idea where these names came from!! 😂). My son, who is now 13, also had an imaginary friend, when younger and he grew out of it too. As annoying as it may be, try not to get cross with her, go along with it, and don't tell her the 'friend' isn't real, she knows that, all you'll achieve is an upset child. I can assure you she will grow out of it, it's a faze and as quickly as it started, it will go.

You seem so harsh. While yes, it may be annoying, this is imaginary play and great for child development - perhaps encourage rather than crush your son...

🙄

I’ve had imaginary family all my life.

Seems a normal age to have an imaginary friend to me. Why does it annoy you so much?

This is hilarious! What did Klaus do about sunscreen??

Perhaps the reason you feel a bit fed up with Marcus is that in the past you have engaged a bit too enthusiastically with your DC's chum and accidentally made a rod for your own back? It must have been so charming at first and you probably felt quite pleased and proud? But now you find it wearing.

Rather than actively trying to scale back the whole Marcus thing, or tell your child he isn't real, could you just be much more minimal in your responses. Just say brief, boring things when DC talks about him, and then change the subject-- "That's nice, dear. Shall we go to the park now?" He's DC's friend, not yours. Let them play together as much as they want, but without any particular involvement from you. Then it doesn't really matter how much longer Marcus hangs around.

I think 8 is also a bit old for this, YANBU

You realise they’re a child right? Imaginary play is completely developmentally normal for that age. What are you hoping to achieve by shitting on your little child’s game they are enjoying and making them cry? Poor kid. Maybe they need an imaginary friend because they’re not getting friendship and compassion from their mum.

Suggest that Marcus wants to go to the Museum of Homework and Vegetables. I also hear he likes nice early bedtimes.

Marcus will seem like a godsend when she's 15 and with some loser. Indulge her and wait for her to speak up for herself. Marcus is just helping her find her voice.

I’ve tried to explain to DC we all know Marcus isn’t real but they just start crying every time.

That seems unnecessarily harsh - especially telling your child the second time or more (“every time”). For whatever reason, your child feels a need for Marcus, and Marcus seems to be an important fantasy. Some of my daughter’s old imaginary friends later evolved into fictional characters in stories she writes.

”We’re not eating until later, so Marcus can go home if he wants something.”

”Well, if Marcus wants to go to the park with you, he can wait until Friday.”

She might then have an imaginary mum friend that she’s expected to arrange play dates with. I vote we call her Stella.

More seriously, I’d probably ask my kid how Marcus helps him. I’d be curious as to the reason behind the development of the imaginary friend. Perhaps you @ImConfusedHelp could suggest that they begin writing a diary or letters addressed to Marcus so you can get them into diary writing, which is supposed to be a helpful way of processing thoughts and feelings - it might replace chatting to them aloud.

You do come over as being a bit mean about this OP.
It may be boring to you but it's obviously important to him.

At least your kid's imaginary friend isn't "Klaus the man with no skin". Hours of fun catering to Klaus when my daughter was that age.

It's just a phase, seems a bit mean to tell the kid their friend doesn't exist.

Oh you've just bought back lovely memories of my now adult DD and her imaginary friends...Oopsie and the Guys..(I never knew how many guys because it would change often).
It was a pain sometimes as I would get ready to drive away and she'd cry out that they didn't have their seatbelts on..or they didn't like peas etc...
I know it's annoying but I honestly don't know any adults with imaginary friends..it will stop soon enough..

Brilliant.

I would play along.. but make it clear that I'm not Markus' mum so if Markus wants a PlayStation or sweets he has to talk to his mum😉

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

My youngest DC had imaginary friends who lived in their ear. They had a special name, something really odd, but I can't remember.