Why would a kid need an imaginary friend?
 

What are some reasons a kid would need an imaginary friend?

I've thought of a few, but I wanna know what everyone else on the forum thinks.

Anyway, I think it's be a little similar to why kids need Fairy GodParents: unattentive parents for whatever reason (like a new sibling or something, maybe they're both work-a-holics), abusive older siblings, social isolation, etc. And let's not forget evil babysitters! ;D

*in Crockers voice* FAIRY GODPARENTS!!

I think kids make up imanginary friends becuase the kid is shy and/or needs more friends.

Welll....

teacher (Dunno who this'd be, possibly wilt, for sports?)
protector (eduardo, etc.)
friend (Bloo, etc.)
scapegoat (bendy)
provider (Coco. Thhose eggs must have been amazingly handy on that island)
Fighter (extremasaurs)
teddy bear (any of the really cute ones would work)

Friend/playmate-This is why most kids, especially those who are shunned or made fun of by other kids, or who live where there are few other kids their own age to play with, make IF's.

Protector/Guardian-A kid who feels threatened by bullies, gangs, or even other family members might make an IF as a sort of bodyguard. Eduardo is supposed to have been created by a girl living in a rough neighborhood, who probably had to deal with gang shootings, drug wars, crooked cops, and maybe abusive parents.

Surrogate parent/mentor-A child who has lost a parent, or whose parents are not around for much of the time, might create an IF to take that parent's place. This might especially be true if the child had even-younger siblings and more or less had to care for them in the absence of a parent. I still believe that this was the primary reason that Wilt was created-to be a surrogate father for a kid who didn't have one.

Ego extension-a kid who likes to show off and be recognized as the center of attention might create an IF that's just as flamboyant, to draw attention to the two of them. Good example: Blake Superior.

Surrogate Pit Bull/Game rooster-Kids who are into violence, and believe that having a animal that can beat up someone else's animal makes them a tougher and more respectable individual create "Extremasaurs" for this purpose. You might be able to ban dogs or chickens, but how can you legistlate THOUGHTS? On a less-violent note, since Wilt was also created to compete in basketball, apparently, he sorta falls into this category, too.

Scapegoat-already been mentioned that Bendy is a good example, since many kids DO blame their IF's on things that they themselves do.

Girlfriend/boyfriend-come on, you KNOW that some teens must surely create an IF to fulfil that role, even if it is only for "show", so that their peers don't think that they are losers at an age when dating becomes so important.

And this is a recent one I'd thought of-that perhaps some kids might create an IF to serve as a companion for a single and obviously lonely PARENT, believing that this will solve the parent's lonliness, if nothing else, though, being a kid, the child would probably still create an IF based at least in part on THEIR ideal IF, rather than what the parent might be hoping for.

pitbulllady

I had an imaginary friend because where I lived, there were NO kids my age to play with, and my older sister was almost always mean to me and wouldn't let me play with her or her friends.

I learned to play alone, and eventually imagined a friend to talk to during this time. He kept me from being sad and feeling lonely. I still love him bunches! *fuzzy feeling*

PB summed it all up nicely, I can't really say it any better. ^_^

As per example, in Mac's case I see Bloo being as the Protector (not that Bloo is very good at it), Comfort( he's snuggly and huggable), and Best Friend, something Mac needed since he has no dad around and a bullying older brother.

I made up an imaginary friend in kindergarden because I wanted people to think I was cool :P (it didn't work)

Don't forget boredom. I remember talking to random objects when I was bored as a small kid. I also remember introducing them to a friend...

Did any of you actually believe in your IFs? I didn't, but I spent a lot of time trying to convince other people they were real 8D

I think pitbulllady got all of the main reasons.

No, I didn't believe in them like they were realy, they were just kindof there for my convienence.

Yeah I didn't expect other people to see my imaginary friend and I actually didn't tell anyone about him for soooo long! I knew he wasn't really there, but it was nice to have a vivid enough imagination to be able to talk to him like I did.

I think PitBulllady about covered all the angles but I'd like to look more deeply at the first one.

One of the reasons humans have come so far is their ability to form complex social groups together (super-organisms) and it stands to reason the mechanics of this are biologically written in our brains like organic computer programmes. A young human brain needs to develop these programmes, explore their capabilities and find their boundarys. In the absence of other human brain to practise with, perhaps human minds make test models - not independent but not under conscious control neither. This is certainly within the brain's capabilitys given that Soviet scientists discovered that a single brain physically seperated creates two personalities and all kinds of physical and psycological conditions cause the generation of independent voices in the sufferers head. Is it possible that early interaction with one's imagination can actually prevent such conditions by accessing the internal levers that control personality?

You must forgive me. I love speculating on this stuff. On a lighter note, Bloo compensates for Mac's good hearted, modest and considerate nature as he is totally egocentric. He is Mac's confidence and drive and thus they always prevail together but never alone.

That was all very fun to read, specially at 2 am. :p No, I agree with you.

On you last paragraph though, I think it's Bloo that compensates for Mac's own shortcomings, or what he wished he had more of personality-wise. Mac can be social, friendly, and a leader, but he still possesses a rather introverted personality, and that's where Bloo comes in. I don't always believe IFs are created because children feel frightened, unprotected, or lonely. Some of these IFs are probably culminations of what a kid lacked and wished he/she expressed more of in his/her personality. Bloo is loud, abrasive, manipulative, and boastful; hardly our definition of "shy". At the other end of the scale, we have Mac, who is self-less, a bit of a pushover, and simple. He's everything that Bloo is not.

That is PRECISELY why I would not be so sure that Wilt's creator was someone who was really into basketball. He/she could have been someone like me, with no athletic ability whatsoever, but a secret desire to be an athlete or to "shine" at SOMETHING. Wilt could have very well been the living manifestation of that secret wish. I've theorized that he was created to be a surrogate father, and many guys ARE into sports, so perhaps the kid figured that if he/she was gonna make up an Imaginary dad, he might as well be into some sort of sport, too, in order to be more like other kids' real fathers. Maybe Wilt was intended to replace a real dad who was a big basketball fan, or actually had played basketball, though the kid did not actually have much interest in it.

pitbulllady

On that note, PBL, I don't think the kid really *intended* to have Wilt be a father figure in his/her original intentions for his/her imaginary friend. Missing a father and having no close friends might be a motive, and perhaps an older brother/sister with mad basketball talent as well would spur a thought-in-mind of a basketball star who would actually CARE about him/her.

So, of course, nature stepped in and gave Wilt father-like qualities. :)

I'm inclined on throwing out the basketball fad theory out the window at this point. :p I get a bit tired of it being too obvious, and I'll be more than a little irked if the creator turns out to be a raging sports fan (shock!) and is male, of all things. Not that it's completely unavoidable, but I'll keep my hopes up.

Missing a father and having no close friends constitute as "loneliness" or feeling unprotected. That's a reason that I was also trying to steer clear from as to why a kid would feel the need to create an IF. They're all perfect reasons, but also a little too obvious. :3

But what do you think "nature" is? That Wilt's personality traits were something the kid subconsciously created and wanted to have in a father figure? Those traits couldn't have appeared on their own and with nothing to trigger them. Two theories I've seen sticking out constantly (one from PBL) are that Wilt was either created with this malleable, sweet, apologetic personality, or he developed it on his own through the years and bad experiences. The latter (a string of bad experiences) would help explain why he represses most of his emotions, particularly anger.

I suppose a kid is in a need of an imaginary friend and imagines it when he/she requires more diversity of personality. I mean like his/her imaginary friend is not dull but interesting and sometimes quite opposite of the creator. Therefore, the child is able to attain individuality by slowly distingushing him/herself from his friend. Also it makes them more sociable.

When I was younger, I constantly made "friends" who had done things that my parents were discussing just for the reason I wanted to seem more adult and wanted to fit in with my family better (the closest sibling in age I had was 10 years older than me). I also gave my stuffed animals personalities, because I didn't have many friends (this lasted until I was either 14 or 16. I am now 18) That is my reasoning from personal experiences.