Three-year old nephew (Tim) had an imaginary protective dinosaur-dragon called Brickie. Brickie would follow him home from school and make sure any bad dinosaurs wouldn't catch him (and my mother, who tends to pick him up while sister is at work). Poor mom sometimes had to jog alongside him while he explained why they were running away from/towards something. At now five years-old, Tim has now mostly retired Brickie, although three-year old niece (Lilly) now involves imaginary school friends to play with her when she wants people to boss around at home (usual sentences include "no, X, you can't do that!" and "listen to me!"). Children tend to be very good at imagining, and also, to a certain degree, at knowing that what they imagine isn't "real" in a grown-up sense. On the one hand, it helps them come to grip with stuff (like violence and randomness of death) and process it, I think. And also explains why I find some children better company than adults. ^^
I am also very very tempted to buy my one-year old niece one of the "disease" plushies. Because, really, what is cuter than a cuddly piece of plague or toxic mold? ;)
Children tend to be very good at imagining, and also, to a certain degree, at knowing that what they imagine isn't "real" in a grown-up sense. On the one hand, it helps them come to grip with stuff (like violence and randomness of death) and process it, I think. And also explains why I find some children better company than adults. ^^
I am also very very tempted to buy my one-year old niece one of the "disease" plushies. Because, really, what is cuter than a cuddly piece of plague or toxic mold? ;)
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