Recently, a recording of a possible case of imaginary friend disorder in a small girl has spread virally across Facebook. The video shows a mum and her daughter stuck in a school in Songkhla due to heavy rain. The daughter then begins talking to someone, allegedly her imaginary friend.
The shocking part is that while the video clearly shows no other people around, the pair’s conversation shows a third person replying “Krub”, meaning “Yes, sir.”
The video was recorded on the evening of 17th September, Monday. However, as of Wednesday morning, it has been watched over 4.3 million times, garnered more than 16,000 reactions, 90 comments and shared at least 53,000 times.
Exactly What Happened in That Video?
We spoke to our colleagues at theAsianparent Thailand to understand exactly what’s going on.
The mum, Kru Ju Taksaporn Yodthong, narrates the incident in the short one-minute recording. Both she and her daughter were trapped by the rain and did not exit from the school till nightfall.
The mum observed her daughter, Im-aim, speaking to someone by the doors of the computer lab on the school’s second storey. Although the video clearly shows the young girl being the only person there, the mum still questioned who her friend was.
In the video, the daughter responded that she was chatting with a little child. The third-party, who was nowhere to be seen in the video, was standing by the stairway and wore pink shoes, said the daughter.
The clip continued with the mother responding that there was no one else around after scanning the place. As a matter of fact, the rest of the kids had vacated the school as it was getting dark soon.
Her daughter said she wanted to “bring” her friend home with her.
Distressed, the mum then instructed her daughter to inform her imaginary friend that their car had no space left, and that her “friend” should continue playing on their own and not follow them.
Her daughter then relayed the message to the empty air ahead of her. Oddly, a baffling “Krub” – which means “Yes, sir” can be audibly heard in response.
The pair then rush towards the ground floor, where the video cuts to an end.
Watch the eerie video in its entirety here:
*In the original post, the caption reads, “A rainy evening at school. Im-Aim (the girl’s name) is talking with someone. She said she is talking with someone with pink shoes.”
Mixed Reactions from Netizens
Some netizens speculated that her daughter was chatting with an imaginary friend. Yet, other commenters argue that it might not have been the case, citing the mysterious “Krub” response.
The mum also commented on netizens’ doubts, stating that she was uncertain of who was responsible for the “Krub” sound. However, she did not pursue the third party as she was already quite disturbed herself.
Friends of Kru Ju Taksaporn Yodthong also asked if the mum wasn’t used to her daughter speaking to herself.
The mother replied that she’s observed her daughter frequently chatting to herself. At times, she would even bring soda drinks to enjoy with her invisible friends.
When Should You Be Worried About Your Child’s Imaginary Friend?
In our previous article, we’ve discussed that imaginary friends are a normal part of healthy development. In fact, it’s a sign of a healthy imagination and creativity in a child.
Kids eventually grow out of the “imaginary friend” phase as they get older.
However, it may be worth seeking professional advice from a child development specialist if you notice that your child has difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality.
The signs that point to this is that your child:
- Appears overly involved with their imaginary companion; for example, she becomes clearly worried or anxious over something she thinks her “friend” has done
- Frequently reports that he/she is not able to control what the imaginary friend does
- Does harmful things because his/her imaginary friend says so
- Prefers to spend the majority of their time alone with the make-believe companion, rather than with real-life peers
If your child isn’t interacting with their peers, clinging to a fantasy world instead, it isn’t a good sign. | Image: Stock photo
All in all, the advantages linked to kids having an imaginary friend certainly outweigh any disadvantages. In fact, according to experts, kids with imaginary friends have high levels of creativity and self-esteem.
So parents, enjoy watching your child use his imagination and creativity while the phase lasts!
References: AsiaOne
Also Read:
11 creepy imaginary friends that kids have
Is having imaginary friends normal or dangerous? Experts weigh in on the issue
Your kid’s imaginary friend: Should you be worried?