Imaginary Friends
Is Your Child's Friend Imaginary or Paranormal?
Determining if a child is normal or gifted is not an easy task, especially given the vivid imaginations of very young children.
Parents report witnessing their young children “talking to Imaginary Friends” and then make claims that these children are talking to unseen “real” people. According to Marjorie Taylor, head of psychology at the University of Oregon and leading researcher on children’s play, "The phenomenon of the imaginary friend is really misunderstood. People thought it was rare -- it's not. People thought it was a red flag -- it's not." According to related research, the healthy development of childhood creativity and language skills can be attributed to having one or more imaginary friends. Children who have had imaginary friends tend to develop better social skills than those who had little interaction with imaginary friends.
There are parents, however, who explain that their child is not only talking to, but also appears to be “seeing” people and claim that the child could quite possibly be talking to and seeing spiritual beings or other such paranormal phenomena. There are a couple of ways to determine if your child is following the rules of normal childhood development or is exhibiting paranormal behavior:
- Ask Questions – What is the friend wearing? How old is he/she? What is the name? What job does the friend have? Where does/did the friend live? Gathering as much information as possible about the friend will begin to shed some light on whether the friend is made-up or could have been a living person.
- Do Your Homework – Once you have gathered enough information about your child’s imaginary friend, go to your local library or city hall and inquire about the existence of such a person in the town’s past.
What's Next?
Once you have determined if your child’s unseen friend is imaginary or has a verifiable past, there are two things that can be done.
If the friend is, indeed, imaginary don’t discourage your child’s behavior. While unnerving at times, and possibly annoying at others, keep in mind that imaginary play is a vital part of your child’s creative, social and verbal development. Play along. In most cases, the imaginary friend will take a hike by the time your child is about seven years old. If, however, you notice this imaginary friend interfering with the daily routines of your child’s life, such as taking the blame for misbehavior on a consistent basis, or other such extreme instances, it’s time to intervene by contacting a child psychologist for suggestions on how to wean your child away from his or her unseen friend.
On the other hand, if there is supernatural work at hand, it can be easily identified during your research. Names, dates, work history, obituaries can all confirm information given to you by your child. If this is the case, it might be wise to contact a clergy member to assist in getting the unseen friend to move on. It might also be helpful to contact a team of paranormal investigators, who can help put your mind at ease by conducting a thorough, Scientific Investigation with electronic equipment and in-depth research into the friend.
Many times, unseen friends are harmless and tend to leave on their own, but if you notice evidence of more than the innocent chit-chat, such as poltergeist activity, physical wounds, or hearing audible voices, it might be necessary to take more drastic steps up to and including an exorcism.
More than likely, your child’s friend is innocent and harmless. Keep lines of communication open and enjoy your child’s younger years.
Imaginary Play
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