Categories: uncategorized
Date: 15 June 2008 21:35:38
Most kids have imaginary friends. I didn't. But I do remember my brother having one. He was a bee. Dizzy Bee. And he seemed to spend a lot of time flying alongside our car on long journeys with my brother insisting that the window be opened so that Dizzy Bee could come inside and rest for a bit - he probably needed to after flying along at 60 mph!
My own son, I realised today, also has an ongoing obsession with imaginary beings. But they aren't friends. They are enemies. The Scary Monster often appears in our house and garden. I'm there quietly hanging out the washing or similar while Toddler plays and suddenly he'll shout to me "look mummy, there's a scary monster". Scary Monster doesn't actually ever do anything. So he's really not that scary. He's just there needing to be looked at at regular intervals.
The other regular visitor to our house is the Big Bad Wolf. He's a little more active. He knocks on the door wanting to come in and tries to blow our house down. He's never succeeded because, as Toddler says, "our house is bricks". But we have to keep an imaginary door closed to keep him out. And Toddler's pretty good at providing a whole long commentary about what the Big Bad Wolf is doing and what he said to him and what was said back:
Toddler (in middle of eating tea): Mummy, there's a Big Bad Wolf knocking at the door.
Mummy: Oh dear.
Toddler: Yes, he said "let me in" but I tell him "no". He want to blow our house down but he can't, I tell him "our house is bricks". Mummy don't open the door. Keep the door shut. He's knocking like this (demonstrates knocking on table). He want to come in and eat us, but I said "no, go away wolf". Mummy, don't open the door....
...and so it continued for most of the mealtime.
Although our house seems safe from the Big Bad Wolf, other homes and people are less safe. The other morning I was informed that the Big Bad Wolf was trying to blow Granny's house down. A few minutes later I was told that the Big Bad Wolf had blown Granny's house down, and having announced "he's a naughty wolf", Toddler wandered over to the corner of the room and says "Hello Builder. Can you come and build Granny's house? Can you make it in bricks?". I was wondering was Granny's house previously made of, but didn't have time to ask before Toddler informs me that the builder has finished.
Mummy: That's good. Are you going to pay the builder now?
Toddler: No. The Big Bad Wolf ate him.
Well, there you have it. My son has reoccurring imaginary enemies that eat the few imaginary friends he dreams up!