4.15.2016

Cool Whip - Elise's Imaginary Friend

So, last May the Rev took Elise to visit his parents for a few days, while I was still stuck at work, waiting on my summer break to begin. Because it is his favorite food group, her PaPaw let her have Cool Whip to eat every day - on pancakes, with berries, probably just straight from the spoon, too...and that was the beginning.


Not long after, she began talking about her friend, Cool Whip. She told us that she was her sister but that she lived at another house...here...in the retirement village where she had gone trick or treating with her friend, Piper, the year before. The village is on the way to the Y and we go there several times each week, so she waves to her and tells her "Hello" every time we pass.


The Rev and I have been taken to task if we forget to put Cool Whip in the bed with her each night. One evening last August, we had a particularly long trip home from church because Cool Whip kept getting out of the car and we needed to stop and let her back in...


I keep waiting for her to move on, but she'll be playing on the playground and turn to yell for Cool Whip to come with her. She'll wait for Cool Whip to climb up the slide with her and then tell her that she did a good job when she slides down.

I was a little worried at first and then I read this:

"studies had shown that kids with imaginary pals use more complex sentence structure, have richer vocabularies, and get along better with classmates. Kids who create a playmate get a chance to practice taking both sides of the conversation. They try on different roles, think abstractly, and conjure up original ideas. An elaborate fantasy world is like a test lab for some of the most important childhood skills."


I guess we won't worry if Cool Whip sticks around a little longer then... besides Cool Whip is a way better name than Bing Bong.


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