I'm Flamingo, Not Lilly

The other day we had an unusual bought with Lilly's imagination.  My daughter is very creative and has imaginary sisters, brothers, places, etc. 

It started off with her saying that Lilly had left and gotten on an airplane.  The airplane had gone into a scary storm and she didn't know when Lilly would return.  I replied with, "Who are you, then?"  She said, "I'm Flamingo, not Lilly."  This comment was heard many times throughout the day.  I said we needed to go and find Lilly because I wanted my Lilly back.  Flamingo offered to come and help me search for her.  So, we went on a walk through the trails around our house and we called out for Lilly, but no Lilly. 

Then, dinner time came and Flamingo didn't want to pray before she ate.  My husband said, "I don't know what you do in your house, Flamingo, but in this house we thank God for our food"  Flamingo didn't want to do a lot of the things that Lilly does.  When we called Nana that day, she even told her that she wasn't Lilly she was Flamingo.

After dinner, Flamingo decided she would go on another search for Lilly.  I allowed her to go outside to look for her, thinking that she would just stay in the yard, come back and our Lilly would be home.  No such luck, she went out and started walking down the street toward the trails to look for Lilly.  I had to stop her and that is when the "game" had to end.  She cried and cried. 

I hate to squash my child's imagination, but sometimes the fun has to end.  This time is was because of safety reasons and also for the sanity of her parents.