What do you do when your child begins talking to some unseen entity? How do you determine if it is a psychic event, an imaginary playmate, or some sign of a mental health issue? You want to handle things in a way that is best for your child and of course in a way that is not going to harm them in any way. You also want to make sure that you speak from a spiritual belief system that you can believe in.
Your child will know if you are uncomfortable with the topic or if you do not believe in what you are saying. They will also be able to tell if you are scared or threatened by the subject matter. You will need to fully research the concepts and choices before saying something that you might later regret. The first response should probably be no response. After all, it may just be a fabrication to gain attention. Kids do that.
The first thing to begin researching is “imaginary playmates.” There is a lot of information to be found on the topic. You can ask your child some questions about their little friend and find out pretty clearly if the child is creating an imaginary playmate or not. The research will show you some of the common reasons and scenarios that cause some children to create these friends. Study the topic for yourself and make up your own mind if that is what is happening with your child.
If you determine that your child does not fit into the “imaginary playmate” profile, then you have to decide if they are actually talking to guardian angels, spirit guides, Jesus, a deceased relative, etc. As I understand it, imaginary playmates are not named after spiritual entities or relatives. They have their own unique names. If your child is specifically mentioning Jesus, or great grandpa Joe who died last month, then you have to evaluate the chances that they are either suffering a bit of an emotional problem or they really are talking to spirits. I would also look at your own words and see if the child might be trying to win your favor by pretending to channel your favorite spiritual figure. Also, are you giving them subtle messages that maybe you want them to be magical children that talk to angels and spirits? They may be faking it in order to please you. Kids do that.
The most important thing is that you both continue being honest and loving towards each other.
It might not hurt to find a therapist who believes that psychic events can and do happen. They would be able to give you some professional insight, guidance, and reassurances if needed. If you see a therapist who simply does not believe in such things, then you and your child may be deemed nuts! On the other hand, there are experts who are so hungry to find real live cases of psychic children, that they may overlook signs that your child is faking it or struggling with other issues. You really need to choose the therapist carefully and one with good amount of common sense as well as an open mind. They will be able to help you find out if your child is really channeling someone from the other side or if they are suffering from some sort of a psychological issue that needs attention. They can also help you to learn how to speak to your child about the events.
