Imaginary Friend/s

I never had imagined friends but one of my granddaughters does. She has Octonauts who have to have places set at the dinner table and the front door has to be opened periodically to let them in. It’s fascinating. This all developed during lockdown so I wondered if it was due to being isolated from her nursery friends.

Such sweet stories, I don’t really know if I actually saw Willy, I feel I did, but it is sixty years ago!
He was a bit like a puppet, wooden and gangly, but I loved him.

My daughter had imaginary kittens, she even took them to school when she started in reception ?‍♀️

My daughter did when she about 4, he was called George and we even had to lay a place for him at the table. She later exchanged him for an imaginary horse which she rode everywhere and use to fasten it outside shops, she even rode it to school and I had to take it home and bring it back when I came to pick her up. It was called Debby.

My schoolfriend had an imaginary dog called Jackie. I completely believed her and used to save up parts of my school dinners for Jackie.
Gullible or what!

I had an imaginary friend of my own age, called Rita until I started school.

She was apparently a very well-kept secret because when my younger sister had an imaginary friend and I said I had had one too, our mother said I was telling a fib!

I knew what Rita and her parents looked like, but I wouldn't say I actually saw her. As I remember it, I "saw" her in the same way I then and now "see" a person in a novel in my mind's eye. But I do not doubt that others may have seen their imaginary friends in a different way.

I did once see a little boy of about two- when I was about four in our garden and fetched my mother because he was crying and bleeding from a graze on his face. My mother said there was no-one there, but I know I saw him and I had to tell him I could not get the grown-ups to help.

I have always believed that a great-aunt who was present either saw him too, or believed me, but she said nothing.

I still do not know if he was a figment of my imagination, as my mother believed, a ghost or a premonition.

I had an imaginary younger sister called Susan. I dearly loved her. I was not an only child, but my only sibling - a brother - was 12 years older than me, so it was the same. Also, when my parents returned to London in 1945, the house in which they managed to rent rooms had a large garden and my father got permission from the Landlady for me tobe able to play out there. BUT....Only ME...no friends alowed.

amy Mum actually asked my primary school teacher about this obsession I had with Susan, and was told it was pretty normal for lonely children with good imaginations, and nothing wrong about it. Susan stayed with me for many years, my Mother was pretty good about her, getting a little upset when she picked me up at school in a downpour and found me with my coat on back to front as I was having to hold it out over Susan who did not have a coat with her!! My Dad, however, found it all very difficult and could not bring himself to kiss goodnight to her,etc. Interesting my first daughter was named Susan!!!

As I got a little older I also had a wonderful dog called Trixie -who stayed with me well into my teens. Indeed, would accompany on many a walk when I was feeling down at all right until I was about 17 years of age.

Nothing wrong with imaginary friends, think they serve an excellent purpose.

Chestnut I never actually "saw" Jane. I had a picture of her in my mind and can see her now. She was about 17, 5' 6" tall with a blonde beehive hairstyle. She used to wear a grey dress with a belt and slingbacks.

Mine was called Gretchen and lived in my Granny's old black kitchen range. I don't remember much about her so she probably left the scene when my little sister was born.

I must have been very lonely - I had 2 at the same time.
Pim Pim and her teacher Mrs Jackson. We had adventures in a little world of our own.

Just wondered, does anyone remember actually seeing their friend? Is it possible to tell the difference between imagination and actually seeing them in front of you?

No, but I can understand people having an imaginary friend. I was an only child, but never a lonely child as I had a dog from the age of 7. He used to go everywhere with me and I even used to dress him up, which he seemed to love. I talked to him non stop and when I was ill he was allowed to sleep in my bedroom.

Such a lovely post! I also had an imaginary friend, her name was Debbie, she was very short and had a heart of gold. She had sensitive hearing so would always walk around telling everyone to be quiet! Debs always tried to give me advice however it would always be pretty terrible, bless her heart, at-least she tried. Had a terrifying moment when I thought she hurt my mother but luckily it wasn’t Debbie, my clumsy mother fell down the path leading to the garden and broke her hip and the cobblestone (she was a very heavy women, may she rest in peace!).It was many moons ago but I still remember Debbie! - Thank you for sharing.- Janet.

Thankfully my family used to like listening to my stories about Jane and I. My Grandmother, who raised me, liked to recount the story of how one day she asked me about Jane and I declared that Jane was dead!

Eazybee
Oh that is so sweet

I knew a little girl who had twelve imaginary friends: the Dancing Girls. They went everywhere with her, had to be consulted about everything and were based I think on the Tiller girls, She got separated from her family once and her distracted mother found her walking down the street chatting away; I was all right she said, the Dancing Girls were looking after me.

Yes i did,it was a Native American Indian chief and his wolf.
The chief was always on my right side and the wolf was on my left.
My mom used to set a plate for him at the table to keep me happy.
I still have a thing about N A Indians.

No, but when I was about 20 I worked part time in a shop in the evening. I was stocking the shelves one evening and an old lady (probably about the age I am now ? ) standing beside me started a conversation about what to buy for tea. I started answering her questions then realised she was actually having a conversation with someone else, her imaginary friend, and totally oblivious to me. I was very naive in those days and probably gawped a bit before backing off.

My daughter used to have an imaginary friend who was called Livey. If ever my daughter had done something she shouldn't and I questioned her she would say 'Livey did it'. She is almost 53 now, but still remembers Livey.

Yes I did, he was called Willy, and was loosely based on Willy Woodentop.
Much to the enormous humiliation of my mother, who was probably afraid all the neighbors would say I wasn’t quite right, I often had big meltdowns about Willy being left behind, or someone sitting on him.
I used to chat to him all the time, and we would snuggle up in the chair for ‘Listen with mother’
Okay, maybe I was a bit weird!

When I was a very small child I had an imaginary companion called "Tibs". We used to have many adventures together. I was an only child until the age of 7 when my sister was born so I got used to solitary play. I used to amuse myself for hours talking to myself and Tibs. When I tried to describe my adventures to my mother she used to become very impatient and just tell me to be quiet. I cant recall either of my parents playing with me.

My grandmother was more indulgent. She used to sit there sewing or crocheting and allow me to ramble on about Tibs and what we had done that day.

No, maybe because I am from a large family.

I didnt but my son did. His friend lived on a farm and was often poorly or had broken his leg. I am sure psychologists could have given a great analysis of what that meant.