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Original poster

DD has an imaginary friend

51 replies

RedRobyn2021 · 17/11/2023 16:51

My DD is 2y9 and has an imaginary friend called Eda

FTM is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't remember ever having an imaginary friend as a child

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Ohdearwhatnow4 · 17/11/2023 16:54

Totally ordinary and helps their imagination develop. 1 of my kids had a imaginary friend, and his imagination is amazing even after all these years of his friend not being here. He helped my lad become braver.

BeautifulBoy · 17/11/2023 16:54

I had one. I spent a lot of t8me chatting to them apparently. My Siblings did not have one.

It’s perfectly normal imo!

Having an imaginary friend is a normal and healthy part of childhood play. Having one has even shown benefits in childhood development. If your child has an imaginary friend, it's totally OK. They can grow out of it in their own time as they stop needing the skills that their companion is teaching them.
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/imaginary-friends#:~:text=Having%20an%20imaginary%20friend%20is%20a%20normal%20and%20healthy%20part,their%20companion%20is%20teaching%20them.

Imaginary Friends: What Does It Mean, and Is It Normal?

Kids with imaginary friends are normal. In fact, the imaginary friend may help them cope with relationships and difficult situations.

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/imaginary-friends#:~:text=Having%20an%20imaginary%20friend%20is%20a%20normal%20and%20healthy%20part,their%20companion%20is%20teaching%20them.

Sillysoppysentimental · 17/11/2023 18:52

Yes my Grandson had one.. he's now 18 and we laugh about it now.
We were once on a bus and he started crying.. saying a woman has sat on " little man".
We had to lay a place at the table for little man.
Even had to buy him a Christmas present.. it's perfectly normal.
One day the friend is suddenly not there..

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vintedaddict · 17/11/2023 19:01

DD had one around the same age, she used to talk to it all the time and "play" with it, I think it's a normal thing and just a sign of their developing imagination. DF is now 4 and hasn't really mentioned her imaginary friend for around a year now.

pilates · 17/11/2023 19:07

Ahh that’s sweet

FiftynFooked · 17/11/2023 19:08

Maybe Eda's a ghost 😱

ErrolTheDragon · 17/11/2023 19:12

Yes, mine had a whole pack of imaginary friends. They sort of faded out by school age except they'd reappear on holiday when they assisted in defending sandcastle forts from the incoming tide.

SharonEllis · 17/11/2023 19:14

Completely normal & actually wonderful. My daughter had one for just a few months. Loved that phase.

MinnieL · 17/11/2023 19:16

Sillysoppysentimental · 17/11/2023 18:52

Yes my Grandson had one.. he's now 18 and we laugh about it now.
We were once on a bus and he started crying.. saying a woman has sat on " little man".
We had to lay a place at the table for little man.
Even had to buy him a Christmas present.. it's perfectly normal.
One day the friend is suddenly not there..

That’s so cute🥹

OldTinHat · 17/11/2023 19:55

One of my DC had 'people' who lived in his ear.

My DSis had an imaginary friend.

I'm a bit envious because I never had either!

Kitcaterpillar · 17/11/2023 19:57

Well, you know the commonly used phrase 'imaginary friend' so you must know they exist?

Longma · 17/11/2023 20:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

StillWantingADog · 17/11/2023 20:03

I def had one. Now 45 and “normal” (ish!)

Waitingfordoggo · 17/11/2023 20:04

Neither of my DCs had one but I did when I was a child. She lived in the cupboard under the stairs and her name was Sandra (inexplicably pronounced with a Northern accent- we lived near the South coast and had no relatives or friends with Northern accents. Assume I picked it up from a TV show or something). Sandra had a place laid for her at tea time.

Anyway, I have turned out normal. (ish)

SparklingSparkle · 17/11/2023 20:04

My DD had one for a while. He was always getting up to no good and it was never her. He also required his own cake/biscuits etc
Also his own chair. Drove me mad and made me laugh in equal measures. He didn't like me apparently because I didn't give him enough treats.

Newsenmum · 17/11/2023 20:04

This is so lovely and so intelligent as she’s not even 3

TheShellBeach · 17/11/2023 20:04

I had one.
My DD had two. They were both called Susan.

Newuser75 · 17/11/2023 20:05

My son had one at a similar age. One day he just stopped talking about him.

MrsMoastyToasty · 17/11/2023 20:42

DS had an imaginary dog called Biscuit. We weren't allowed to sit in Biscuits chair at the dining table.

bobby81 · 17/11/2023 21:16

My DS had several...... the main one was with us for years and we still talk about him now! Apparently he didn't have any parents so he came to live with us.
I remember worrying a bit about it when he was little but it went on for so long it just became normal, DS is 15 now & can describe what his friend looked like etc. DS had a stammer when he was little & I think his imaginary friends helped him in some way..... they didn't judge him so he could relax & practice his speech. I know that sounds weird but like I said it became normal for us. I think it's a positive thing & good for their imagination. DS is very sociable now & has lots of real friends!

TheFoz · 17/11/2023 22:46

My second child had one. She announced one day when she was five, that she died in a car accident and that was that.

Stringagal · 17/11/2023 22:51

My childhood friend had one, she loved him. There was always a seat for him at the kitchen table and he went on days out with the family. The weird thing is when we used to go to stay, I would also happily play with this imaginary boy. My friend was about 10 when she stopped mentioning him.

damsey · 17/11/2023 22:54

My son had one called Hodge and he lived under our stairs apparently

EstEstEst · 17/11/2023 22:56

My DD had one called Keddes, he came everywhere with us until he ran away when she was 5. We left him on a train once, OMG what a drama that was. DD told us later Keddes was the cat printed on a doormat we had, he came with us when we left the house and returned to the mat when we came home.

We lived in a very old house when all three children were aged between 3 and 9, all had a friend named Joe, they all described him the same, they chatted to him, they played games with Joe, they talked about him a lot. When we moved they all waved to Joe from the car the day we left. All three are now adults and still remember him…