What is the Oedipus complex and Electra complex, and how realistic their development in the relationship between parents and children? In which case, the behavior of your son or daughter should be a cause for concern and what to do to tell the psychologist.
Many people intuitively understand that child's relationship with his mother and father are qualitatively different. And the older the child, the greater the differences. Up to three years, the child does not separate himself from his mother, finds herself with her one. He has not yet formed a view of themselves as an individual. This is typical for both boys and girls, because at this age children are still not thinking about the difference between the sexes.
When this happens and the child asks, "Why is not Thani that have Petya?" Starting complex processes of building relationships with Mom and Dad. And not just any child relationship - father and child - Mother and child relationship - mom - dad. Usually trigger the natural mechanisms and children with age more and more identify with the parent of the same sex. The boy takes the example of his father, and the girl with her mother. The boy learns from the pope to be strong, brave and wise. Girl learns from mother to love and care. In this case, the relationship between mother and father also did not go unheeded.
What is Electra complex and Oedipus complex
Sigmund Freud took the idea of the Oedipus complex and Electra complex of Greek mythology. These stories tell of "nedetskiy" love of children to their parents of the opposite sex. Oedipus was attracted to his mother, Electra - to her father. At the same time, Freud argues that children caught in such a situation, may experience jealousy against the parents of your gender. Up to fear and hatred. And this is a serious problem, which leads to a strong internal conflict and children's neuroses. Hatred for the man you love and take his example, so can mix and confuse the senses, and that all life is not enough to disentangle them.
Just how real development of this situation to an unsafe critical level? From the experience of working with children say that unspoken, invisible to the untrained eye cases occur quite often.
Such motives are often caught in the children's drawings, where the color and location on the sheet members of the family say that there are some hidden processes and communication characteristic of the Oedipus complex or complex Electra. Such features children's drawings will be discussed in a separate article that will teach you to identify the details of the child's inner world. One of the many causes of aggressive, unusual or simply incomprehensible behavior of the child may also be complexes discussed by us.
What you should pay attention to?
If a boy of six or eight years more interesting to spend time with my mother, and not with the pope, then it's time to look at the hidden reasons. Think should be the case, if a girl of the same age spend more time with my dad. The existence of the problem can be said to frequent conflicts with the parent of the same sex. You should also look at the common symptoms that indicate increased internal stress and neurotic conflict.
What to do to smooth things over and to prevent the development of neurosis?
Already the conversation with the child about the feelings that he has for his mom and dad will have a therapeutic effect. Reflections on the role of the child in the family and the future of the social role can also make corrections to its system of relations with parents. Talk to him about what he will be when he goes to school, or even when the master specialization. He will follow the role of men and women in adult life. All this will direct the energy of a "dangerous" love and hate in a more constructive direction. The main thing that has not happened, "Frost", "ossification" of relations and feelings that they have developed, albeit not an ideal way, but with the prospect of becoming more secure and harmonious.
Be attentive to the children and remember that the true causes are often hidden in the depths and go unnoticed.
You will be interested to know, how your child is prone to the development of the Oedipus complex.
