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Show Phantom Playmates If your youngster has an imaginary playmate, don't worry about it. Many children dream up faithful, vivid, imaginary companions and these playmates are a healthy, helpful lot, writes Vivian Cadden in a recent issue of Parents' Magazine. She quotes this opinion of Dr. James M. Toolan of the New York University College of Medicine, Medi-cine, who recently completed a study of children and their "pretend" playmates. Dr. Toolan found that preschoolers most typically conjure up a companion, usually of the same age, size and sex as his creator. He is often incorporated into the family as a sister or a brother. (Another investigator into r this land of make-believe reports that about one-third of children between 3 and 9 years of age have invisible playmates.) play-mates.) Far from signifying a flight from reality, the imaginary imag-inary companion indicates a child's healthy desire to mix and mingle with other children, particularly if he lacks enough real companionship, according to Mrs. Cadden. When real playmates come on the scene, the phantom friend usually disappears. |