Circle of friends

These days, we have four (sometimes five) toddlers living in the apartment. Advaith’s friends are called Jake, Steve, Bobby and Vishnu.

Oh, did I mention that they are a figment of his imagination?

They are imaginary to me, but to my son they are sometimes more real than the solid physical presences of mom, dad and grandparents. They sometimes go to preschool with him. Sometimes he orders them to stay back at home with the stern injunction not to touch any of his toys in his absence. When he doesn’t want to eat his morning ration of raisins, Steve (or Jake or Bobby...) says (in a cute falsetto) “Advaith's mommy, can I have some raisins?"

I’ve read that most 3-year olds have one imaginary friend (or several). Jake, Steve, Bobby and Vishnu are yet another manifestation of Ads’ super-heated imagination.