Ella

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' "
1 Corinthians 15:33

Maya’s imaginary friend causes more than her fair share of problems around the Krumm house. Her name is Ella and she’s a bad influence on my daughter. She’s responsible for making messes in her sister’s room, hitting others, pushing the baby and she forgets to flush. It appears that she whispers in my daughter’s ear suggestions of countless unsavory acts, some of them Maya chooses to follow up on. She also gets tattled on: A LOT. “Ella’s pinching me.”

Now I ask: Is it wrong to contemplate the untimely demise of an imaginary friend? I think I could get away with it. It wouldn’t be hard. I have an imaginary alibi.

Instead I decide to use Ella as a lesson in choosing friends. The idea is a culmination of two events: (1) After “Ella” made quite a mess in Makenna’s room, I overheard Makenna lecturing Maya on how an imaginary person couldn’t make a real mess; and (2) When Ella wouldn’t help with the dishes after dinner, Steve explained to Maya that whatever Ella did, Maya would take the punishment for.

You see, I don't really want Ella eliminated; I just want her—and her REAL friend—to straighten up their act.

Choose your imaginary friends wisely, Maya. Choose wisely.