by Freyda Tartak

Created on: September 05, 2009

There is a world of difference between imagination and creativity. Creativity is the ability to take what is available and make something new with it. Imagination is the brain's compensation for a lack of something it needs to move from where it is to where it needs to be.

Creativity in children is often fuelled by imagination because they are at the very beginning of their journey into education and life experience. Their minds are uncluttered by known things and are free from routine tasks such as driving cars, making dinner, doing the laundry, earning a living, and complex social interactions. For kids, the only way to answer the many questions swirling around in their heads is to take what they learn and attach it to what seems to make sense to them.

An imaginary friend is simply a coping mechanism for something that the child is unable to have in real life. It fills a void that is not being met and is a subtle cry for help to a problem that even the child has difficulty in identifying. Since children lack the maturity to fully grasp their emotions and understand what is really upsetting them, the task should fall to the parent or guardian to really watch and listen for hidden clues.

Conversations Can Be Very Telling

The games and conversations the child plays with their imaginary friend can provide invaluable insight into root causes. It may be as simple as loneliness and lack of peers in their own age group. Or, it may be a complex reaction to something much more sinister that the child is too scared to talk about. Since the child is only going to say what they have heard or had been able to interpolate from what they learned already, listening for age inappropriate chatter during their imaginary play is vital to figuring out what is going on inside that little head.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Children sometimes witness acts by peers, strangers, and those close to them that they have trouble dealing with. Something inside them may say that it doesn't feel right but, they can't say why. Perhaps, they are being mistreated by bullies or perhaps one of their caregivers is neglecting them. Perhaps they are witnessing adults doing something with each other that they don't understand but, don't feel right about. Watching children with their imaginary friends when they don't realize it and then finding a non-intimidating way to talk about similar acts, in a third person, may help them open up about something that they didn't think they would be able to talk to anybody about.

Ghosts Only Stay As Long As They Are Needed

An imaginary friend is like a ghost created by the child's mind to deal with an issue. If the issue is properly addressed then the ghost will go away. If it is still around either it was the wrong issue or there is something more to it. In any case, if a person, including a child, has been able to offer a cry for help it must be answered because not everybody is able to solve their own problems and it is not okay to leave some cries unanswered.

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