Hi I've not posted in hear before.

My DD is 3YR 6ms and she's started to have an imaginary friend (well its a cat) I'm finding it quiet frustrating as she expects me to understand 'where he is & what his doing'. Also if we go out she always 'brings him with her' again because she's to busy fussing over him she isnt concentrating on whats going on around her. Its not something i can tell her off for its got to the point where I've started to ask her to put him in her pocket to keep him safe so she pays better attention to crossing the road or ppl walking along the street.

I'm expecting my 2nd baby and she's been very involved through the pregnancy and is looking forward to having a baby brother I wonder if its because she is yearning for a companion that she's doing it. She is in playschool 3days a week an starts big school in september so its not like she dont have real friends she has 2 cousins the same age too.

Just wondered if anyone else's little one has been through or done the same thing.xx

Just wanted to say that I remember very vividly having an imaginary friend when I was little myself! He was never 'there' (so to speak) when my friends were there, but he was frequently there when my family members were. His name was Peter, and he was a little boit older than me and we used to have lots of fun! Lol!!

As a mum now, it is strange for me to look back on. I ahd loads of social contact when I was young, lots and lots of friends and family members around me for a lot of the time, as well as nursery/school/activities, so I couldn't say that I was lonely, and the contacts I had were constants in my life. I think I just liked having company.

Please don't see it as a bad thing, and I think, be prepared for your DD's 'friend' to stay around for a while longer! x

Thanks for your reply.

I'm being very patient with her but I werent sure if it was because she was lonely. The amount of ppl that have looked at her like she's a freak when she's only tiny It was kind've my protectiveness coming out as I dont want her to be made an outcast by the friends she has got.

Her father tryed to give her a teddy cat to 'deal' with it in so many way's over the weekend however this hasnt really swayed her because its pink and jess is black and white which she informed of me last week.

I think i'll perserver and aslong as she doesnt put herself in harms way cos she's too busy being imaginary then there's little to worry about. That was my main concern

I had an imaginary friend too when I was little, her name was Kimberley and she was me in my mum's full length mirror!!!it was something that I grew out of and didn't do me any harm, others might argue that !! :lol:

my 3 year old son has also had play moments where he's pretended to be playing with a friend. I think its quite natural and all part of the process of role play and make believe. My son has quite a vivid imagination but its not something i'll discourage. They're not innocent children for long enough in my eyes so as long as he wants to play make believe i'll let him....although it might look a bit odd when he's 14