disciplining imaginary friends

for those of you with myspace you may have already read this blog, but i thought i would transfer it. it is originally from january 27th 2007. so isaiah was almost three then....

So Isaiah has been watching Toy Story 2 almost everyday for the past two weeks, and now when he plays he is Buzz Lightyear. And earlier this week he had an imaginary friend with him as well, who is Jessie the cowgirl from the movie. Now I don't care, it's fun, it's normal to pretend play and most kids have an imaginary friend at some point in life. (so I'm told) Anyway day 2 of "Jessie" playing at our house, I heard Isaiah being nasty to Lincoln telling him, Jessie didn't want him to play with them and he had to go away and he knocked him down. So I stepped in and told "Jessie" if she wanted to play here she had to be nice or she would have to go home. And Isaiah said, "Mom, Jessie dosen't LIKE it when you LELL (yell) at her!!" So I replied, "You know what, it's time for Jessie to go home, since it's time for lunch and then nap anyway." So apparently she went home. And then when I put Isaiah to bed for nap (which really hasn't been going good lately, I think he may be out growing them, but still needs them, if you know what I mean) I told him, if he didn't take a nap then Jessie couldn't come back over to play. And of course he failed to take a nap, so Jessie has not returned.
Now, am I completely surpressing his imagination and need of creative expressive play? - no . I'm just letting him know this is my house and my rules (yeah right ha) - At least untill he figures out he can play with an imaginary friend anytime HE imagines it.