Imaginary friends and character development in children

Imaginary friends and character development in children

Imaginary friends and character development in children

Introduction

The research says that young children have imaginary friends; sometimes they are human
while other times they are animals. There is no indication or evidence that children with
imaginary friends experienced emotional difficulties (Majors & Baines, 2017, p 3). Imaginary
friends are a companion for cooperative fantasy play, help children overcome boredom, and
assist children in exploring new ideas and behaviors. The existing research indicates that most
parents do not show negative attitudes towards imaginary friends do not perceive any character
development harm to their children (Majors & Baines, 2017, p 3).
The research outline that parents should not worry if their child has an imaginary friend
as it is a usual way of growing up. Imaginary friends serve several functions as they are an
excellent companion for pretend play, which is essential in stimulating imagination and
creativity (Hoff, 2005, p 170). Imaginary friends assist the child figure the differences between
right and wrong as kids find difficulties stopping themselves from doing things they consider
wrong (Brott, 2004, para 2). Lastly, imaginary friends offer insights into a child’s feelings. For
instance, listening to a child comfort an invisible friend who is shot may indicate that a child is
afraid. Imaginary friends assist in problem-solving and help a child explore new behaviors and
have fun (Majors & Baines, 2017, p 4)
There are several precautions that parents are required to undertake while their children
are interacting with imaginary friends. These include strategies to use if the child is disturbed and
if the child has imaginary friends. The first is not letting the ‘friend’ be the only companion since
kids require adequate socialization with their age mates and peers (Brott, 2004, para 3). The
second is avoiding your child shift the entire responsibility for anything wrong to the imaginary

friend. For instance, blaming a imaginary friend for string of robberies is not okay and may lead
to a child’s poor social development (Hoff, 2005, p 175). The third is treating the ‘friend’ with
respect by greeting while you meet and refraining from using the ‘friend’ to manipulate your
child. Parents should ensure their children form the required identity and character that promotes
social connections with peers while interacting with their imaginary companions (Majors &
Baines, 2017, p 10).