My 3-year-old has a very active imagination, but sometimes tends to get carried away. Where do I draw the line between lying and creative imagining?

Preschoolers love to fantasize simply because they’ve discovered that they can. More importantly, using one’s imagination at this stage is an important way of developing language skills and creativity.
Play along with your daughter’s fantasy stories, but begin casually discussing with her the difference between real and make-believe.
Avoid branding her fantastic and sometimes exaggerated details as lies. Tell her when make-believe time stops and when it’s time to deal with real life events.




SOURCES:

•    Rachel Arguelles, head teacher at the Greenhills Learning Center in San Juan                                                           •    Abelardo Apollo I. David, Jr., occupational therapist and executive director of the Independent Living and Learning Center                                                                                                                                                                           •    Ropheme Meniola, M.A. in counseling and minor in family and child psychology, Ateneo de Manila                    •    Romela Rubio, psychologist