Playing Pretend

Yes, this is very normal. I have a daughter who, at 3, introduced herself at Sunday School with the middle name of "Cinderella" and then proceeded to tell that she had 2 brothers, naming one and "the other is the Fairy Godmother"!!!

My "Fairy Godmother" son is now 3-1/2 and he is doing the same thing. He has been everything from "Winnie-the-Pooh" to "Robot" to "Pumpkin" to "Daddy...I'm daddy, mommy. Mommy...I'M DADDY!!!" Much of the time he won't even answer us unless we address him by his name du jour. Most recently it has been Rabbit. Just a (funny) phase they grow out of. You might want to keep a record of some of these funny things they say and do, so you can have a good hearty laugh in a few years...

Oh, and my daughter (now 5) has always called her dolls by whatever they wear or specific "purpose" (green baby, blue baby, white baby, bath baby). Now, she names them, but the names change frequently, usually depending on who her "best" friend is at the moment...

My daughter wanted to be called a lot of different names when she was 2 years old until about 3 1/2. (She is 6 now and there are no more names!) We called her everything from "Jeff" from the Wiggles, to our neighbor boy's name across the street. It was kinda fun and completely unexpected at the time for me and my husband. I suggest you enjoy this make believe time. It will be gone soon!

I think it's wonderful that a child plays pretend I still rememer my sister and I doing it and the make believe names we created.

T.
www.prohealthviews.com

my husband had an imaginary friend when he was 3 named Ernie the Alligator. One day 'Tom' went exploring and Ernie took over being Tom. For MONTHS he made his parents, teachers, everyone call him Ernie.

Then one day, Tom came home, and all was well. I know it's weird, but my husband is VERY creative, and I think this was an early sign of his creativity.

Your daughter may also be a little jealous of the baby, or unable to voice her nurturing instinct in any other way.

I wouldn't worry, and I think it's sweet.

My Daughter did this for a while, and I let it go until it scared the day lights out of me. We were at a Family reunion held at a Picinic ground, there were lots of people around. Most of the people were family but not all(It was a public park). She was on the Playground with some of the family kids, when they came back with out her. That day she had decided her name was Lola (Charlie and Lola show on Disney), but in my panic I had forgotten about that. When I looked at the playground I didn't see her so I started calling her, she wouldn't answer me (I wasn't calling Lola...). I was in a total panic when she finally showed up. (tears, couldn't breath..I was having a panic attack) I asked if she had heard me, and she said yes. I asked why she didn't answer me, and she told me that I was calling 'X' and not her, she is Lola.

Well, after that day I explained to her that it was fine to play pretend, but when Mommy called her 'real' name she was to answer me. She seemed to get it and I don't have this issue anymore. She still plays pretend, and likes to change her name, but at least now she answers to HER name when I call her.

It's perfectly normal. When my daughter was 3, she changed her name to Stuart. I have no idea where she got the name from, or why she decided it was her name. But she'd get very upset if we called her Morgaine. My 3yo son is usually the Hulk or "Robot Rowan". He changes his personality and voice to match whomever he is at the moment. It's sometimes scary and I think he has split personality, or something. But I'm sure it's normal whacky 3 year old stuff.