Formation of the child's personality takes certain steps. It is important each time, but the so-called Oedipus complex is crucial.

What is the Oedipus complex

This is the key concept of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud was formulated in the early 20th century. Austrian theorist stated that every child at a certain stage of its development is experiencing a craving for their parents.

Oedipus complex - a combination of love and hostility that the child feels for his parents in a certain period of development, usually between the ages of 3 to 5 years.

Positive complex known from mythology: the desire the death of his rival of the same sex and attraction to the parent of the opposite sex. This key moment in the development of the child is experienced unconsciously manifested in certain actions. The Oedipus complex is boys and girls, the difference is only in the mechanism of occurrence. The child has been ambivalent about the mother and the formation of a "love triangle."

A little mythology. Freud called this complex in honor of the famous story of Greek mythology. Oedipus - the son of Laius, king of Thebes, and Jocasta. Oracle predicted that the king would be killed by his own son, and the king decides to give it up. Child rescues the king of Corinth, and the boy grows up without knowing his true parents. Later, another oracle he finds out that he would kill his father, and to protect the man he considers his father, flees the city. On his way he meets Laius, which takes a thief, and kills him, and then married his wife, not knowing that it was his mother, Jocasta.

Manifestations

Behavioral symptoms are different: some of the boys have fun, touching the mother's breast, the other trying to kiss her on the lips or make provocative comments.

Psychiatrists warns against generalizations: All children are different, moreover, there is a clear link between what is happening in the mind of the child and his behavior. It is not always possible to guess what actually feels a child.

Parents of boys and girls are divided into different impressions of what's going on with their child during this period. Boys usually try to win a privileged position from her mother and trying to compete with his father, but there are some nuances concerning the identification of conflicts with his father and mother.

The girls are all a little different. Freud pointed out the differences in the course of this period, the girls, but did not agree with his contemporary, the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, proposed to call the Oedipus complex Electra complex in girls.
  Positive and negative Oedipus complex

During this transitional period, identify yourself as an individual child is experiencing mixed feelings. He believes the parent of the opposite sex as a rival, but at the same time wants to be like him.

In its negative form the complex flows in another way: the love of a parent of your sex and jealousy Management of jealousy   the parent of the opposite. In most complex Edipa in some measure it combines both of these forms.

How should I respond to the parents

Period from 3 to 6 years is particularly complex and conflicted. Torn apart by various desires, the child tries to win his place in the family, which is especially difficult in single-parent families. But even in a complete family child experiences the Oedipus complex, it is a necessary period of development. If there is no father in the family, psychologists strongly recommend that you have a friend or a male relative, who could have become role models for the little boy.

If you are the parent of a rival, and you annoy all those angry words, sometimes tells you your child, try to keep a sense of humor and not to succumb to his provocations. Parents who got the role of the object of adoration, do not behave like a six year old boy with a very small child. The kid could still afford to touch the mother's breast, but the baby is grown up to explain the boundaries of what is permitted. How to do it - you decide, there is no universal method.

What is the importance of the Oedipus complex

According to Freud the Oedipus complex - an important stage of mental development of the child. But this moment does not occur at exactly 3 years. It is part of the overall development; preparation for it goes through several phases: the oral stage of breastfeeding Breastfeeding: notes   (from birth to 18 months), Anal, when the child learns to control the pleasure of the process of separation (1 to 3 years) and phallic associated with masturbation, during which just appears Oedipus complex (3 to 6 years).

Typically, this period extends itself, without any consequences. Children are aware of the key point - the inadmissibility of incest, it will allow boys and girls in the future to build a relationship outside the family.

After a period of 3 to 5 years latent phase occurs when the child takes an interest in their appearance. Then comes puberty, where fantasy can become reality. Only teens can find a real way out of trouble, and it was then that ends the formation of personality.

Psychoanalysts consider the Oedipus complex as a key moment in the development, laying the foundation for future relations between the sexes.

What if the Oedipus complex is manifested in your child too much

All children are different, and as the crisis of adolescence, the Oedipus complex can manifest itself more or less intensively. Sometimes parents need to work hard to resolve problems. If you are experiencing difficulty, seek help from a psychologist. Each emerging situation requires a specific approach, a common pattern of behavior can not be developed. Keep in mind that the child builds his relationships with parents including the experience of conflict resolution.