OT: Need Mom advice on imaginary friends

My four-year-old daughter has had an imaginary friend she calls Michael since she started talking.

Lately, Michael has been doing, mostly imaginary, stuff that would get daughter in time out. Daughter will say "Michael hit the dog." "Michael pinched me." "Michael threw his food." etc. But like I said it's mostly imaginary. So, sometimes I've told Michael to go into time out.

My husband thinks we need to start telling daughter that Michael doesn't exist and that us grownups are not going to respond to whatever daughter said he just did. He thinks that because we can't punish Michael the same way we can our daughter that the kid is not going to take us seriously about things she shouldn't do -- like picking her nose, etc.

I don't see any harm in the imaginary friend. I'm assuming Michael will disappear when daughter starts school in 2011. (I know my little brother's imaginary friends did at that age.) I don't want to quash any of her creativity.

Any of you ever have to deal with something like this?

Thanks.

my daughter had one..lara..... she did everything bad!!! lol breaking all the eggs on the floor swearing..etc...... i told her if lara kept doing bad things she would have to move out.....soooo se did i kicked her out.... but then my daughter snuck her back in.... i would hear her sneak talking to her laughing almost like her bieng there (lara) was the badness that lara use to do.... it tok over the things she use to do.... anyway...she eventuly moved out..... i dont think its a big deal myself...good luck

I had one who I could only visit in the bathroom when I was using the potty. (LOL) Gone when I started Kindergarten. My Dr told my Mom it was the sign of intelligence and creativity. I turned out fine.

Patti - This may give you a grin (or not), but at first I thought it was your MOM who had imaginary friends...

I didn't experience this with my step-kids or with sibs. Does it just happen with regards to naughty behavior? Does Michael provide a cover up for her misdeeds or are his misdeeds as imaginary as he is? Maybe Michael is acting out things she has an impluse to do, but wants to test the consequences?
 
Ever see the family Circus cartoons where the character "NOT ME". a little ghosty guy with a naughty grin? We didn't need a character like that as we had Bruno the chocolate Lab. Anything that someone was not willing to 'fess up to was blamed on Bruno....

Personally, I'd play along. Maybe your daughter is telling you that she (and Michael) are bored and want to test limits. Does she get out with other kids, like at the library? I know you are way out back of beyond, but with 2 exceptional parents, she needs enrichment.

LOL.

Naw, Mom doesn't have imaginary friends. When she has a UTI (TMI, I know), she has imaginary adventures. Once she got abandoned in "the Korean restaurant" on the fifth floor in one of our local hospital. (Funny thing is, I think that's where the nut ward is.) When she was in the rehab hospital,  she went to a couple of strangers' wedding. She was really mad when I came to visit because I didn't come pick her up from the wedding.

Michael does bad things and good things. Kid doesn't actually do a whole lot of bad things, so I think she is testing us.