Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-07
IMAGINARY PLAYMATES
By H. Addington Bruce

S is we'll known, many children three to
| ~ seven years of age-sometimes even
older-invent imaginary playmates for
themselves. They give names to these crea-
| tions of their mind talk to them, pretend to
entertain them, order them about, and sc
forth.
Also they may go travelling with them to
imaginary places, where they have variety
of interesting adventures. All Of which is
| usually regarded by the parents of these fan
ciful children as highly amusing, and Of nc
particular significance other than testifying
to the imaginative ability of their offspring
OF course, it does so testify. But the ques-
ton remains as to why the children exercise
their imagination in this particular way. And
the parents amusement would lessen II they
appreciated how this question must be an
swered.
Almost always-perhaps should say, al,
ways-children who invent playmates do sc
because of some real or fancied source OF
dissatisfaction with their home life. Often
this source is to be found in the failure OF
their parents to let them have actual play
mates.
Children possess a gregarious instinct
even as adults do. And they are so constitut-
ed that they need companions of their own
age, not merely to satisfy this instinct, but
to help them develop into socially adaptable
beings.
When denied such companionship they will
either content themselves with solitary games
and amusements,. or, if the gregarious urge is
strong within them, they will fall back on
imaginary companions. In either case harm
full result may follow.
Resort to solitary amusements tends to
make the child more or less socially un-
adaptable through life. But so does resort to
imaginary playmates, in so far as it facili-
tates overdevelopment of another instinct, the
self-assertive.
And it is an almost invariable rule that
when playmates are imagined, the child
adopts dominating attitude toward them.
1t is not led by them, it leads them. Even
when protesting great affection for them, 1t
insists that they must show subservient de-
vot1On to their creator. The latter is the
superior one, they are interiors Thus, un-
consciously, a selfish, domineering, perhaps
arrogant, trend may be established in the
character, to the child's later hurt.
Nor is it only lack of actual playmates that
may incite children to invent imaginary com.
rades. 1t may turn to these if, rightly OF
wrongly, it feels that it is not receiving from
its parents the attention it regards as it's due
In that case, as recently pointed out by
George H. Green-in book, "Psychoanaly.
sis in the Classroom" Of distinct value to
parents as well as to teachers-the creation
Of imaginary playmates must be interpreted
as a criticism of the parents.
The latter may well ask themselves If such
criticism is justified; or if, as is more like
ly, the child is both inclined to demand too
much from life and disinc1ined to meet the
demands which life makes of it.
So that, in short, instead of being amused
If their children turn to imaginary play
mates, parents should regard this as a sign,
either that they are failing to give the chill
dren all they should, or that the children
stand in need Of special care to help them
endure the stresses, trials, and problems of
everyday reality.
Copyright, 1922. by the Associated News
paperS.)