I have read in many articles that it is wise to support children in their imaginary play. I have tried to do this with my son. I have found his imaginary play very entertaining and amusing. Only in one scenario do I find it to be a problem.
My son has decided that, at meal times, he wants to pretend to be a cat. We have cats and my son has played with them since he was old enough to walk. My son has recently started placing his plate on the floor and eating on all fours. This bothers me.
My parents think I am crazy for getting so disturbed by my son’s behavior. I realize that pretend play is perfectly normal and healthy for children. I support my son in his other imaginary play scenarios.
I talk to his stuffed animals and interact with them. In fact, “Blue Kitty” is lying beside me right now. This is a plush cat that my son won in one of those grab machines at Wal-Mart. My son put him on the arm of my chair and covered him with a blanket. He then told my stepmother to “shhhhh” because “Blue Kitty” is sleeping.
I do not know why it bothers me so badly that my son eats by pretending that he is a cat. It is just a pet peeve of mine. I don’t like it and I hope that he outgrows it soon. For now, I’m trying to be patient and understanding.
In doing some reading on the subject, I’ve read where it is common for young children to pretend to be a fireman, police officer, nurse and other commonly seen occupations that they have discovered.
I realize that my son is enhancing his imagination and creativity. I do want to support that. It is just that I think children pretend to be what they want to be when they grow up. So, if my son was pretending to be a scientist, I would be thrilled. It is the idea that my son wants to grow up to be a cat that concerns me.
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