Overactive Imagination

Nothing to worry about at this age. You might want to tell her that she shouldn't offer to share something she doesn't have. Just explain it as when she offers something the other child gets excited and then disappointed.

Lol. I was just about to write a very similar question. My DD is also 3 1/2, and this could be her. She is an only child, so mostly entertains herself. Her biggest thing is to give me food, and expect me to eat it. She will also pick up things (usually she says its a penny...) and carry it around. If she has to use that hand, she will move it to the other one, or put it in her pocket. Or give it to me to carry or put in my pocket. Lol. She actually remembers later on, and will ask me to give it back.

I often encourage her to go into more detail... Like if she tells me she is giving me a treat, I will ask her what kind. From there, I ask her what flavor, etc. I also use it as a learning opportunity. (Do you want to share it with me? Is it your turn to take a bite?)

Personally, I think it is good to indulge... So long as she is able to cope when I end the game. If she starts getting too bossy about it, or I am too busy, I will tell her that mommy can't pretend with her any more. If she tries to engage other people (or kids) I tell her to make sure they know it's pretend. She has actually gotten kids into her games before.

Not sure if I'm doing the 'right' thing with this... But at least I know my Dd isn't the only one! :)

take a deep breath and relax, mama. i love that you enjoy your conversations with her, and agree that having her flex her imaginative skills is awesome. rather than 'preparing' her, perhaps just make sure that you're not over-indulging her ie going along with it when you don't want to, or she's been doing it for too long. the kids themselves will give her feedback, and in the absence of some sort of social processing disorder, she'll read that and adjust her behavior accordingly. sometimes it's good to let baseline human behavior play itself out. the wolfpack can be rough, but it's also effective. so many parents try to protect their kids from it that many children today grow up without those essential coping skills.
she'll be fine, mama!
:) khairete
S.

I took my kids to the park the other day when a new family we have becomes friends with. My kids are 3 and 5. The other kids are twin 6 year old boys. In any case, all the kids were playing imaginary lion as we walked around the zoo. One was the daddy lion, another the cub, etc. it was cute.

Don't let the fear of rejection damper her fun. She will adjust her behavior to the pressure of her peers. in fact, I'm sure at some point you will be disturbed by the pressure her peers exert on her.

.... your daughter is young.
When both my kids were toddlers, they were (and still are) very creative.
And had imaginary friends etc.
However, in school or elsewhere, they knew when to turn on or off, their vividness in imagination or impulses.
It is not ab out, repressing your child or not.
It is about, the child learning about the social world and how it operates and being able to know their own cues and the cues of others.

I didn't have this with my kids, and I don't know if my thoughts here would be helpful. But I'll just offer that perhaps it is better for you not to join her in some of this imaginative play, like chewing imaginary gum. I would also tell her that this is for her and not for other people.

We have another sweet mom on here whose daughter "scripts" and demands that her parents play along with it. It is worrisome to them because she pushes it alot with them. I think that this kind of thing is what you would like to avoid, so not allowing her to push you into her play might help her not push other people outside of the family. It doesn't mean that you'd be squashing her imagination. She'll still have plenty of conversations with her Barbies herself, but hopefully not trying to give out imaginary gum and the like to friends and strangers...

Hope this helps a little~

That isn't imagination, that is just strange. Imagination is making up different endings for stories like your daughter does, it is not making other people be part of her fantasy. That is just strange and annoying.

It is not entertaining herself well if she has to have you chew gum that isn't there, there are two of you involved.

I am not trying to be mean here, I am trying to help you separate fostering her imagination from being very indulgent. Right now you are indulging very strange behavior and she is going to be hurt when she finds out it is seen as very weird.

Kids love the kids with imagination because they tell great stories that are actually on their level. The do not like the freaks that offer them fake gum, it feels like teasing. I mean look at it if you didn't know the game. If someone offered you something and then offered you an empty hand you would think they were mean and teasing you. Then they are smiling like they are so clever and they think, freak, and don't want to play.

So stop making your daughter think the odd things she does are actually cool. She is only doing them because you seem so pleased with them. Be pleased with the normal creative things she does like making up stories.
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To the person thinking themselves clever attacking me, I suppose you would also think it is perfectly normal to throw a basketball at a kid who isn't expecting it because your child has played basketball with their friends? It is the same thing, what her child was taught is that everyone wants to play whatever game she wants to play without asking or explaining the rules. It is not the imagination that is an issue, it is ignoring the social aspect of play which is asking does the other person want to play.

It also makes you look foolish attacking someone for giving judgment when judgement was asked for.

I think she just needs to learn a proper "opening line". "Let's play candy shop", etc.

It's not crazy if you let the other person know what's going on.

(Rather than just crawl around barking, say "I'm pretending to be a puppy today", etc.)

She'll figure this out in school. Peer pressure will change her mind about sharing these things. It is something she'll outgrow.

Hi L. D and Doris Day:

Mom with the daughter who scripts here :-).

Yes, I love the imaginative aspect and prefer her own scripts over (arrrghh, Mickey Mouse), but I'm learning to put limits on them.

I found that when she is around other kids or otherwise engaged they tend to lessen.