can split off into an imaginary friend,
giving the friend the feelings they've
been taught are not acceptable.
"Make sure that everything else is
going OK. That the child is not with-
drawing from other friends, and that
the imaginary friend is not interfering
with other aspects of their life. If you
think it is, talk to your pediatrician,
day-care person or a child psycholo-
gist," says Musikantow.
Today, children not only have more
exposure to other children but they
have more defined toys and videos
that leave little to the imagination, he
says.
"Buying toys that foster imaginative
play is good for the children."
Judy says teachers at their school
see or hear little about imaginary
friends from the young students. That
part of their life is saved for the com-
fort of home. "Here they are busy
with real people friends and activities."
Parents may also find that their
child's imaginary friend leaves in the
same way he came: with the wind and
with the child's moving on in other
stages of life.
For Aimee, it was the arrival of a
sibling and the start of schooling that
caused Chuckie to slowly disappear.
"We would ask where he was and
she would say she wasn't talking much
to him anymore," remembers Judy.
"We didn't want to end it for her. We
wanted her to be the one to do that
when she felt comfortable."
The dry sink door has been closed
for 23 years now but it is still fun for
the family to remember Chuckie, says
Judy. "At the time, it was a good thing
for Aimee and it's nice that she
remembers that part of her child-
hood."

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