Imaginary Friends and Children Who Have Them

[Monkeys_mom08]

Hello,

Ok, so I know Imaginary Friends are a good thing. I know that we are supposed to be OK and everything with them. So here is where I need help. My lovely daughter has Imaginary Friends. They alternate between "Bubbles and Clank" (from Tinkerbell) and Tinkerbell herself. She plays with them and scolds them when they "don't listen" or when they are "sassy". The problem I have is when she goes to bed she says that her "girls" keep her awake (till almost 10pm!) I tell her that she needs to tell her "girls" to behave and that it's bedtime. According to her, her girls never listen and they are always sassy! I tried telling her that maybe she needs new girls who will listen (trying not to get rid of them but putting in a positive way for her to get ones that aren't sassy). She says that they are gone and she doesn't need girls then the next morning it's back to them being sassy and not listening. It's a little frustrating for my DH and I. Is there any way to help her wrangle them in or are we just stuck dealing with these "sassy girls". Part of me thinks that she only has the girls because she is an only daughter at the moment. We do have another one on the way and I am secretly hoping she won't need them anymore :) Advice would be nice. And just to make sure. I am not trying to get rid of them completely! I understand how important they are and all of that. I am just looking for advice on how to handle the situation.

[Kat940]

Can she " put them to bed" somewhere else? Idk maybe if her friends went to bed she would?

[Monkeys_mom08]

I have tried telling them that maybe they should sleep in her tent, or out in the living room, or in her chair, I have tried quite a few options. Unfortunately for us they have "powers" She brings them to the store and to Grandpa's and sledding, etc. etc.

Edit: Powers - they will "stay home" then randomly they are there and slowly creating chaos. lol

[Alex825]

Dont make such a big deal out of it. My daughter had one and "she" showed up when I had another baby. She will grow out of it. Relax!

[dragonfly750]

My daughter is same way. I try no to pay much attention to it. I figure she will grow out of it eventually.

[ninipanini]

 I would just let her have her sassy girls.  It's not that she's being snotty, right?  Just tell, her you're sorry to hear her friends are sassy. Tell her you know how hard it is when you have to deal with that.

DD and ds both  had imaginary friends.  DS had Christopher Robin who went everywhere with us, even when he broke his leg(LOL that was quite original, IMO.)  DD had a friend name Alla who popped up occasionally. 

They're 6 & 9 now and the I.F. have been gone for awhile.

[twilightsbella]

 have u ever considered she might be seeing ghosts? if u believe in ghosts that is.

[la_bella_vita]

 Bump!

[wendyl006]

Have you tried offering to "help" her tell them to go to bed or behave?? My oldest one had an imaginary friend and on occasion I had to help get her friend to listen with mom backing her up....

[MIA0223]

Call their parents.
I am being serious, lol. Call "Tinkerbelles daddy" and the other ones daddy in front of your DD and tell him that if they don't listen and don't go to bed on time they can't sleep over any more.
DD has a main imaginary friend (Lottie from princess and the frog) and a few minor character friends. But DH is all the time having to call Lotties dad for some reason or another, lol.
That seems to satisfy DD!
If that doesn't work, figure out a way to play in to the imaginary friend thing so you don't shatter the illusion, but you make changes!