Two children, both with vivid imaginations, were allowed and encouraged in telling all kinds of imaginary stories, and playing imaginary games, but were taught to discriminate between these and the truth by the use of the word "really." If one began to wonder if the things the other was telling were true and actually happened, he would ask, "Was it really, sister?" "Oh, no, not really," was the reply, and the game or story proceeded. In this way the children developed the faculty and were taught to respect the truth.
Reality of Illusions
There may be many individual peculiarities about your child's imagination and his "story telling inclination," but these should not induce you to be severe or to forbid them unless you have studied the subject of the imagination carefully, or secured competent advice.
You attend the entertainment of a magician, and during the whole evening your senses are deceived. The magician uses the inclination of the mind to illusions in making his tricks possible. He throws a ball into the air a couple of feet and catches it. Then he throws it higher and does the same several times, the last time he goes through the same motion without the ball and nine-tenths of the audience will swear that they saw it actually disappear in the air. If we with years of experience in sensation and thought are so easily deceived can you justly punish a child for yielding to the same mental tendencies?
Imagination a Curse or Blessing
All normal children possess the faculty and its use will bring them blessing and success if properly guided. The direct opposite is true. If the child is allowed to form the habit of using his imagination carelessly and negatively it will be harmful to an extreme degree.
Positive imagination which suggests happy, cheerful and successful thoughts and actions should be praised and encouraged.
Negative imagination which suggests danger, accident, sickness, loss and failure, should be discouraged and immediately replaced by thoughts which are positive in quality. Imagination allowed to dwell upon morbid, revengeful, ethically forbidden, or immoral ideas is harmful physically as well as morally. "He who has imagined an action 'has committed it in his heart.'"
There is no greater truth than—"As a man thinketh in his heart so is he."