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Blacks Kids & Imaginary Friends
Last month I was talking to a friend and made a somewhat negative comment about kids who have imaginary kids. I was angrily informed that my very own friend was buddies with an invisible kid at one point and that it was completely normal. Up until that point, I had never met a black person who had imaginary friends.
Such a thing was not necessary or possible for me. First of all, I was the seventh of eight kids. There were always wild, loud, crazy kids running amuck. Instead of creating invisible kids, I found myself fantasizing about being the only child. Nothing against my fam, but peace and quiet were hard to come by.
Secondly, I would have gotten my ass kicked if my father found me talking to invisible people (Not to mention all the hell I would have caught from older siblings). Where I grew up, a parent would feel like they had failed if their kid was found to be talking to imaginary people. Most of the people I know would say the same thing. We always considered that phenomena to be a "white" thing. Like a lot of black people, I guess we considered our narrow experience as "black."
I am curious if any of you had imaginary friends as kids. Were you the only child? Were you the only child of your gender? Did you get your ass kicked?(Just kidding)
Before anyone jumps in and states that "God" is imaginary, I already know that. This thread is specifically about children and imaginary friends.
Such a thing was not necessary or possible for me. First of all, I was the seventh of eight kids. There were always wild, loud, crazy kids running amuck. Instead of creating invisible kids, I found myself fantasizing about being the only child. Nothing against my fam, but peace and quiet were hard to come by.
Secondly, I would have gotten my ass kicked if my father found me talking to invisible people (Not to mention all the hell I would have caught from older siblings). Where I grew up, a parent would feel like they had failed if their kid was found to be talking to imaginary people. Most of the people I know would say the same thing. We always considered that phenomena to be a "white" thing. Like a lot of black people, I guess we considered our narrow experience as "black."
I am curious if any of you had imaginary friends as kids. Were you the only child? Were you the only child of your gender? Did you get your ass kicked?(Just kidding)
Before anyone jumps in and states that "God" is imaginary, I already know that. This thread is specifically about children and imaginary friends.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Emekan A'dem on -
I didn't have any imaginary friends, but that might be because I befriended a few of the neighbourhood kids and someone was always over the house. People would mention some other kid's imaginary friend, though...
But it's interesting, because as hard as I'm trying to remember, none of the black kids that I knew had imaginary friends! -
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Permalink Reply by Gwen on -
One of my little sisters had an imaginary friend. I can't remember his/her name though, but one of my other brothers had one named "the man in the wall", and they had all kinds of adventures together. He would carry on conversations with 'the man in the wall' and of course if any cookies were swiped, it was always the fault of 'the man in the wall'!
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Permalink Reply by Sarsippious Jackson on -
So how many kids were there?
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Permalink Reply by Sarsippious Jackson on
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I guess I missed out. I had to own up to all of the cookies I stole.
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Permalink Reply by Paulette Harris on -
As an Atheist this is odd to say but my "god"-son had an imaginary friend for a few years. I thought it was normal given that he is the only child in a home with all older family. He is also very intelligent for his age and very nerdy. My dear friend, I met at work, is very cultural and we both enjoy most black arts. When she was pregnant the father was always at work, so I would try to help out. I felt a special attachment to the baby and when she asked if I would come to the christening I thought, It would be interesting to see black catholics in action in Brooklyn. She was not catholic just her parents. The experience was very strange, then she asked me in front of her family if I would be a second god mother, knowing I'm not religious. I felt cornered and went along with it. That's how I ended up with a god-son that had an imaginary friend,. His mom just let it play out and he eventualy out grew it. I on the other hand did not have time for imaginary friends. I have a very large extended family and a brother I wished away my entire childhood.
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