Purpose: allows you to identify the degree of dependence on one of the parents or on both together.
Story
“Birds sleep in a nest on a tree: dad, mom and a little chick. Suddenly a strong wind came up, the branch broke, and the nest fell down: everyone ended up on the ground. Dad flies and sits on one branch, mom sits on another. What’s a chick to do?»
Typical normal responses
— he, too, will fly and sit on a branch;
— will fly to his mother, because he was scared;
— will fly to dad, because dad is strong;
— will remain on the ground, because he cannot fly, but he will call for help, and dad and mom will take him away.
- Such answers indicate that the child has a certain independence and is able to make decisions. He believes in his own strength, can rely on himself even in difficult situations.
Answers to watch out for:
— will remain on the ground because he cannot fly;
— will die during the fall;
— will die of hunger or cold;
— everyone will forget about him;
Someone will step on him.
- The child is characterized by dependence on other people, primarily his parents or those involved in his upbringing. He is not used to making independent decisions, he sees support in the people around him.
Psychologist’s comment
In the first months of life, the survival of the child depends entirely on those who care for him. Addiction for him is the only way to get instinctive satisfaction.
A rigid dependence on the mother is formed when, at the slightest cry, they are picked up. The kid quickly gets used to this, and does not calm down under any other conditions. Such a child is likely to be attached to the mother, and even as an adult man, he instinctively, unconsciously, will seek protection and help from his mother.
Much depends on whether the child has managed to fulfill his psychological needs — in love, trust, independence and recognition. If the parents did not deny the child recognition and trust, then later he manages to develop skills of independence and initiative, which leads to the development of his sense of independence.
Another factor in the formation of independence is that in the period from 2 to 3 years, the child develops motor and intellectual independence. If parents do not limit the activity of the child, then he has independence. The task of parents during this period is the separation and individualization of the child, which allows the child to feel “big”. Help, support, but not guardianship should become the norm for parents.
Some anxious and domineering mothers involuntarily attach children to themselves to such an extent that they create in them an artificial or painful dependence on themselves and even their moods. These mothers, experiencing the fear of loneliness, outlive it by excessive concern for the child. Such attachment gives rise to infantilism, lack of independence, and uncertainty in one’s own strengths and abilities in the child. Excessive severity of the father, who not only educates, but trains the child, demanding unquestioning obedience from him and punishing him at the slightest disobedience, can lead to similar results.
Tests
- The Tales of Dr. Louise Duess: Projective Tests for Children
- Tale-test «Lamb»
- Fairy tale test «Parents’ wedding anniversary»
- Tale-test «Fear»
- Fairy tale test «Elephant»
- Fairy tale-test «Walk»
- Tale-test «News»
- Tale-test «Bad dream»