so why do kids have imaginary friends?

[thisisyesterday]

is it some kind of extension of themselves? why do they need to do it?

ds1 has a kind of imaginary friend. She is called Alan and she lives in Iceland.
the problem is, he wants to send her things in the post, only we don;t know her address! He invites her to his birthday parties and gets terribly upset that she doesn't come, he wants to go to Iceland on holiday and visit her and is very very excited about the prospect.

He is 5, and he knows that she isn't real... doesn't he???

Ohh if only I knew thene reason-depending on the child and their circumstance.

I had an imagineary friend-for years-he lived under the spar room bed

Have you ever watched the film "DropDead Fred"? Fantastic film,based around imaginary friends.Lots of very funny moments but essentially the message (quite depressingly.....but it is only a film.....)is that it is unhappy children who have a need for an imaginary friend.
Probably complete "tosh" but I still think it is a great film...

DD1 has a friend call Beard, he lives next door to MIL, 200 miles away, and whenever we go and visit he is on holiday on the moon.
She calls him regularly and chats to him about IL's and their dog.

I love Drop Dead Fred, and conveniently forget it is 'troubled' kids who need a friend

imaninary friends are a sign of intelligence and great imagination!
We had great fun with ours.
Both mine had them and you know the exact moment too when they know that you can be conned into getting another sweetie for 'them'

No idea. I would love ds just to have one imaginary friend. He has 23 .

That's good to know mamas12 because my DS has two imaginary friends, James and Matthew.

Sorry, I miscounted. Actually only 18!

ahh i prefer the intelligence and imagination explanation bettter! lol

it just seems that ds1's imaginary friend, who he has never met and lives in another country, causes him to be quite unhappy.

which is pretty sad

Aww this is sad
Can you find out why.
'Phone' his friend and talk to him yourself yes I know and then get introduce to his nice cousin or something??

Mind you my friends kids had imaginary freinds who use to plot to kill the parents!!
She thought that it was good fun, she used to listen in on the baby monitor to their conversation and it was because of putting them to bed and making them eat dinner etc.

My DD who is 2.5 always talks about Dora, Boots, Peppa and George, they have to come in the car, have a place for dinner set for them etc....its quite funny but weird at times! The other day she complained cos daddy got in our bed and was lying on Peppa....I meanly told her pigs weren't allowed on mummy and daddys bed

The 2 year old next door has an imaginary dinosaur.

I had an imaginary friend called King. Not an actual king. Just King.

I had an overactive imagination then, and still do now.

Ah, I love threads about imaginary friends! DS1 has one, called Ted, whom comes everywhere with us. I definitely buy in to the "intelligent and imaginative" theories as to why

thisis, could you post him a letter fro his 'friend' once in awhile to cheer him up?
Funny how their imagination can get away from them sometimes.

dd3 has Hennie, Hoonie and Hettie and gets very upset if I get the names wrong

She is clearly highly intelligent and imaginative

Sorry it's making him sad. If, in general, he's OK in terms of behaviour and relationships then I would't see it as being anything problematic. Maybe join in with his fantasy for a bit and find out more so you can help him be less upset by it. If he can't tell you directly use play/toys. Maybe as PP said he can have another "friend" who upsets him less.

For what it's worth I am a reasonably well balanced professional person and as a child I had a lovely imaginary friend who lived in the airing cupboard. I just grew out of needing/wanting her eventually. My mum helped most by going along with it and treating it as normal. We still chat fondly about it now!