During my time in nursing school, I took a fascinating course on child psychology, where we spent a surprising amount of time discussing the phenomenon of imaginary friends in children. I can still recall the chill that ran down my spine as the instructor detailed how children engage in elaborate dialogues and imaginative play with these supposed companions. My immediate thought was: this cannot be typical. Haven’t they seen horror movies like The Shining, Amityville Horror, or Poltergeist? Surely, the experiences of the 80s should’ve raised some red flags. I mean, we’re talking about potential exorcism territory here.
Just the other day, my sweet, wide-eyed, nearly 5-year-old daughter called me over with a conspiratorial whisper, cupping her hand to her mouth: “I have two friends… in my room.”
It took every ounce of restraint not to sprint for the nearest exit, thinking we might need an old priest and a young priest to handle this situation.
I once heard Stephen King say that he keeps the brain of an 8-year-old in a jar on his desk for inspiration. The way my daughter delivered her news felt eerily similar.
Me: “Um, are they here now?”
Bea: “Yes.”
Me: “Can I see them?”
Bea: “NO!”
Me: “Why not?”
Bea: “They don’t want you to know they’re here yet.”
At this point, I could feel my pupils dilating with a mix of concern and intrigue. After some digging, I discovered that, thankfully, her imaginary friends are harmless and don’t suggest any violent acts—like harming her parents or any pets. One resembles a balloon, while the other is a rainbow (initially, I misheard and thought she said one of them had a balloon, which only added to my anxiety). They only appear at night, specifically when her fan is on.
With a few searches and some reassurance from child development experts, I learned that imaginary friends are quite common at this age and signify a healthy imagination. According to the American Psychological Association, it’s essential to keep an open dialogue about these “friends” without encouraging my daughter to expect them to exist in reality (though the thought of them certainly sends shivers down my spine).
Armed with this knowledge, I managed to quell my fears and avoid calling for a priest for the rest of the week—until yesterday morning. I was abruptly awakened by my daughter’s face a mere inch from mine, whispering, “They want to meet you now.”
My heart raced.
Me: “Who?”
Bea: “My friends!”
Me: “Now?! Right now?”
Bea: “Yep.”
As we approached her room, I realized I needed to prepare myself.
Me: “Are they in there now?”
Bea: “They should be.”
Me: “Are they in a good mood?”
Bea: “I think so.”
“A ‘think so’?!” I thought. It was time to confront the unknown.
Me: “Should I talk to them?”
Bea: “I dunno.”
This wasn’t getting us anywhere. I had to step inside without my trusty pop-a-balloon pin in hand.
As we entered the dimly lit room, I squinted, half-expecting to find a sinister figure lurking in the shadows. I flicked the light switch, and…
Bea: “NO!!!!”
Me: “What?!”
Bea: “The lights have to be off, or they won’t come.”
Me: “Of course.”
Bea: “And the door has to be shut too.”
Me: “Great.”
Bea: “Now sit on the floor… there.”
I obliged, thinking this must be how hostages feel in movies.
After a mere 6.2 seconds, Bea announced, “They’re gone.”
Me: “What?! Did I do something wrong?”
Bea: “No, they just had to leave.”
So, there I was, standing in my child’s bedroom, stood up by imaginary friends—a balloon and a rainbow—at 6:15 on a Saturday morning. What has my life come to?
The silver lining? According to experts, imaginary friends typically fade away after three years, meaning I’ll just have to brace myself for a new batch of fantastical beings to meet.
For more insights on kids and their imaginary friends, check out this article. And if you’re interested in other parenting topics, including home insemination, visit our blog for more information.
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