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Expert Q&A
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| By Susan Bartell Licensed Psychologist | ||
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My 4-year-old has an invisible friend that she blames everything on. Should I be concerned?
You should definitely not be concerned! It is perfectly normal for young children to go through an "imaginary friend" period, and a good imagination indicates that she is creative and playful, two very important skills of early childhood. Typically, by kindergarten, you will see the end of imaginary friends as the excitement of real friends and school takes over.
However, it is important that you help your daughter (gently) to take responsibility for her actions, rather than blaming them on her "friend." You can explain to her that her friend is welcome, but that telling the truth is very important in your family. You might also tell her that it will hurt her imaginary friend's feelings if she gets blamed for everything your daughter does – because that's how anyone would feel being blamed for someone else's actions."
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