Infantile children: why don't they want to grow up? Personal immaturity or infantilism: mistakes in education Childhood infantilism what to do how to help.

Lack of independence in decision making, voluntary abdication of responsibility, selfishness - this is not a complete list of qualities that distinguish parental infantilism. In its extreme expression, it is very dangerous, as it leads not only to flaws in upbringing, but can also cause serious damage to the health and life of the child.

Manifestations of parental infantilism

By definition, having become parents, people must mature internally, because now they have to raise and develop a little person - their son or daughter, serve as an example for them, provide security, surround them with love and care.

Today, unfortunately, psychologists note the emergence of a phenomenon: the reproductive instinct of young couples is triggered, but the paternal and maternal instincts are delayed. Hence the attitude towards children as living toys. The old expression that “the first child is the last doll” is taken literally in their case.

Mothers like to dress up their children, pose with them in front of cameras and video cameras, parade along the alleys of parks with expensive strollers... But their indifference to children is striking. Not all women talk to them or play with them. They are much more interested in chatting with their girlfriends, maybe even flirting with interesting men, “hang out” on social networks. The baby remains left to his own devices.

Another example parental infantilism: Dad, having come home from work and hastily had dinner, rushes not to the child who has been waiting for him all day, but to the computer to play a popular “shooting game” with friends, or to the TV.

I’m not even talking about the children “forgotten” in strollers on the balcony overnight and freezing there: they shouldn’t have stopped their “parents” from watching the movie with their crying! About the kids for whom the “adults” didn’t call an ambulance because they didn’t understand that the temperature can’t always be brought down with paracetamol, and they lost them. Monstrous indifference or inability to calculate the consequences? Probably both.

What is infantilism?

C. G. Jung was the first to speak seriously about this phenomenon. He described the “infanta” as an internally immature personality living in an illusory world. He has enough ideas about himself and life, but he is not ready to make real efforts to achieve happiness. It's better to go with the flow.

Jung substantiated the differences between infantile people and others by systematizing these differences. Here is how they manifest themselves in infantile adults:

• Inability to learn from their mistakes: they don’t understand which rake they stepped on and which ones are “new, untrodden”

• Interest in ready-made recipes. There is a lack of criticism when choosing approaches to education: they try to send the child to all development centers at once, teach him all languages, instill in him a love of dancing and take him to figure skating. And if there were more hours in the day, they would have sent us to music and art schools! And all because they “hang out” on dubious Internet forums and become imbued with “advanced pedagogical ideas that guarantee reliable results”

• The creed of the infantes is “this is how it is accepted.” They don't bother explaining to children why something is allowed or prohibited. They themselves like to imitate someone: “glossy personalities,” a neighbor, a boss. Not to be, but to seem - that is quite enough. They demand this from children too.

• Infants practically do not develop as individuals. Children quickly outgrow them intellectually and morally. Such an imbalance leads to tragic generational conflicts in families where adults “slow down” the development of children

It is dangerous because with it adults do not want to face difficulties face to face, try to avoid them, are afraid to make decisions, look for excuses, and lie. With such a position it is impossible to raise children with an adequate attitude towards life. If a miracle happens, it is not thanks to, but in spite of such “upbringing.”

Is infantilism a reluctance to grow up or an immature personality? Is it possible to help a child live up to his age?

Maria Drobot, child psychologist:

Tatyana Kovaleva, mother of ten-year-old Pavlik, came to me for a consultation. I listened to her - the story turned out to be not so unusual.

At first, parents were happy that their child communicated so easily with everyone, but then they began to notice that his spontaneity was crossing all boundaries. On the street he could approach a stranger and suddenly start telling him something. “We were really scared, there are all kinds of people, there are so many terrible stories around. They explained to him that he shouldn’t do that. It was as if he hadn’t heard, although he nodded his head,” explained the alarmed mother.

Much more problems appeared when my son went to school. He was absolutely unable to listen carefully to the teacher, he began to talk loudly in the middle of her explanation, or even could get up and start walking around the class in the middle of the lesson. Homework doesn't interest him at all. When they ask him why he doesn’t do his homework, he immediately cries bitterly.

This story, in my opinion, is very typical and perfectly illustrates a problem that is quite often observed by psychologists today - childhood infantilism. Many parents note a strange reluctance of their children to grow up, to carry out assignments, even simple ones, and to take responsibility for their studies.

Often, caring fathers and mothers explain this phenomenon by the complexity of modern life, which frightens today’s children, and by the desire to sit behind their parents’ back. Parents are either touched: “Let him be a child longer, he will have time to grow up!”, or they begin to overdramatize the situation, asking doctors whether the child has developmental delays. The last resort is endless visits to doctors and attempts to cure the child for unknown reasons. Both the first and second explanations lead to wrong actions, often traumatic for the child.

Let's try to figure out what is happening to the child, what are the causes, manifestations and consequences of infantilism and what should be the actions of parents.

The phenomenon of infantilism

The fact is that some children mature more slowly than their peers. This does not mean their physical height and shoe size, but the fact that their mental qualities are formed late. The term "infantilism" is used by psychologists to denote the immaturity of the individual, especially emotional and volitional qualities.

This can be caused by heredity, intrauterine pathologies and injuries, childhood infections, insufficient thyroid function, and changes in the pituitary gland. Doctors and psychologists have not yet fully decided on this. But still, most often the causes of infantilism are a combination of these factors with incorrect parental efforts. This overprotection is one of the common mistakes in parenting, when parents guide the child’s every step. And then, along with infantilism, egocentrism, inability to take into account others, extreme lack of independence, passivity, and inability to exert tension become very noticeable. Despotic upbringing with physical punishment and constant prohibitions also contributes to a decrease in initiative, the manifestation of lack of independence, and indecisiveness.

However, it is worth noting that mental infantilism has nothing to do with the delay mental development, as many people often mistakenly think. Infantile children are no different from others in terms of developing skills and abilities.

Emotionality or inadequacy?

Infantile children differ from their peers in their naivety and carelessness; their desire for play and pleasure prevails over all their interests. They often prefer the company of younger children or, on the contrary, adults who patronize them. They try to capture their attention as much as possible: show them the toys they brought, boast about things, complain about conflicts with peers.

Often they are not capable of volitional efforts, do not take into account the consequences of their own actions, and do not know how to restrain their feelings. Their mood often changes: from violent manifestations of joy and delight they easily move to tears, sobs and despair and back. Here's another practical example.

During the break, the teacher saw eight-year-old Yura crying bitterly and brought him into class, trying to understand the reason for the tears and console him. It turns out that the older boys called him “Postman Pechkin” because of the bag that Yura carries over his shoulder. Complaining about the offenders, Yura suddenly smiled, his face suddenly lit up - he remembered some girl who once called him Yuri Gagarin. The boy immediately laughed, wiping his wet eyelashes.

Such rapid emotional switching, expressive facial expressions and impressionability captivate and touch adults. And often, behind such childishness, they do not notice the obvious superficiality of feelings, the generally inadequate reaction and emotional incontinence of the child.

This example is not as harmless as it seems at first glance. Firstly, such behavior of a child in kindergarten or school violates the rules of behavior in a team, which may well lead to the fact that such a child will become the subject of ridicule and bullying from peers. Secondly, it greatly complicates the work of educators and teachers who are forced to pay full attention to such an infantile child, while other children are left unattended.

Parents, kindergarten teachers and teachers are confused by spontaneity, inappropriate behavior for age and children’s inability to adapt to reality. The lack of ideas about what is possible and what is not gives rise to a manner of free and even unceremonious relations with adults.

Another example from school life confirms this.

Nine-year-old Natasha approached her classmate’s mother and, while she was talking with the teacher, opened the woman’s bag and began to lay out the contents with interest, looking at it. When mom finally turned around, she was amazed to find hers laid out on school desk phone, keys, cosmetics and documents.

Of course, although this situation goes beyond basic decency, it can again touch someone with its childish spontaneity. However, more dangerous variants of such gullibility of infantile children in relation to unfamiliar adults are also quite likely: a child is able to approach anyone on the street and start a conversation, follow a stranger who can use this childish openness for his own purposes, which are not always noble. So infantilism in certain cases is fraught with serious consequences.

Restlessness or learning disability?

Infantile children most often study poorly, but not due to a lack of ability. The main difficulty that a teacher or educator faces is the inability of an infantile child to join in the overall work: he does not even try to do it, he randomly asks questions that are not related to the matter. Moreover, this behavior is often combined with the child’s sincere desire to live up to his own ideas about a “good student.” He tries to sit up straight, raises his hand as high as possible, and jumps up joyfully when asked. But immediate desires through quite a short time they overpower, and the child interrupts the teacher, talks to a neighbor, and walks around the classroom. Such children are prone to foolishness and clownery; at school they are characterized by restlessness, disinhibition, and inability to behave in class.

Let's try to understand why this happens. For an infantile child, the very situation of communication with an adult or peer is more important, and any task is significant only insofar as it is woven into this communication situation. For example, he stretches out his hand with all his might, asking to be asked. When the teacher calls him, he stands up, proud that he was called, and, smiling joyfully, remains silent. It turns out that the question has already been forgotten, but the child doesn’t even think about it, because he was “summoned”!

Such a child is distracted from his tasks by extraneous sounds, sudden memories, footsteps in the corridor, and his neighbor’s markers, which naturally complicates his learning, and teachers note that he is constantly distracted. Infantile children, as a rule, are inexhaustible in fantasies and games, but in their studies they quickly get tired and fed up. The need for persistent, systematic work causes passive protest in such a child.

Speaking about the infantilism of children, we must remember that immaturity concerns emotional and volitional manifestations, without at all affecting the intellectual sphere: an “forever small” child can be capable and talented. Especially in such areas of human activity as music, invention, writing, acting. After all, high achievements in these areas are possible precisely because of brightness, imagery, vividness of thinking, expressive emotionality and spontaneity of behavior.

Infantile age

Positive changes in the development of infantile children can be expected by the age of 10-12 years. And here parents should be especially careful: this does not always happen. In some cases, the pace of maturation is so slow that even during this period - early adolescence - infantile children are eager to travel, imagine themselves as famous characters, dream of exploits and discoveries. Due to the constant desire for new experiences, immature children often run away from home and end up in various adventurous stories.

Sometimes the process of growing up drags on so much that after adolescence the young man makes decisions rashly and thoughtlessly, carries out assignments irresponsibly, his judgments are striking in their naivety and superficiality. So the consequences of lack of independence in adolescence are much more serious.

The situation is completely subject to correction. A psychologist can help with this and, if necessary, advise you to consult with other specialists. It is better for parents of children prone to infantilism to start acting as early as possible, without waiting adolescence. Pavlik’s parents, who turned to me for help when the child was 10 years old, managed to change their child’s behavior in time. Perhaps their experience and my recommendations will help other families.

Program for parents

Firstly, show the child to a neuropsychiatrist; he may need minor drug treatment. It can, attention, performance, help the child in school. However, the help is not limited to pills only. Such children need an individual approach that takes into account the characteristics of their mental organization.

Secondly, the system of communication with an infantile child should in no case be based on the forcible instillation of certain rules and prohibitions in him. On the contrary, it is better to influence him unobtrusively, taking into account his interests and preferences.

The child loves to play, which means that it can be influenced through the game. You need to play with him in everything that comes in his life: in " kindergarten", to the "hospital", "transport", and in each game he must act as a strong, positive hero, saving someone or leading someone. In such a game, irresponsibility, selfishness, thoughtlessness of actions, and so on are implicitly ridiculed. And the child learns to act according to the situation.

Considering that an infantile child strives for children younger than himself, provide him with the opportunity to communicate with peers, encourage him to such communication, teach him to cooperate with other children, forgive grievances, and resolve conflicts. Explain the consequences of his mistakes, encourage the child to overcome difficulties, helping and rejoicing with him in his victories.

Think it over and establish for the child a number of feasible daily responsibilities that he will clearly know. Also explain to him what will follow if they do not comply. The child must master this logical connection well.

Avoid so-called negative attention - shouting, ridicule, threats, punishment, since the child may be content with these emotional forms of attention and subsequently strive to evoke them.

Attentively keep an eye on your child. Infantile children are weak-willed and suggestible individuals, so parents and educators must be vigilant so that children do not fall under the influence of bad company, but have worthy activities - sports, tourism, reading.

Encourage any child’s desire for independence, making his own decisions, and responsible attitude towards the assigned task. The participation of the father in this process is absolutely necessary, especially when.

If you If you noticed in time that the child is not ready for school by the age of seven, it is better to delay him for a year and send him to school at eight years old with an already formed position as a student. It’s a good idea to start with preparatory individual lessons, during which, first, using easy, accessible material, the desire to learn, the desire for mental work, and responsibility will gradually develop. Success awakens a child's self-confidence, relieves tension and creates emotional comfort.

And remember, for such children, discrepancies in the demands made by school and family or different family members, indifference and lack of attention from adults are especially harmful. Don't overlook your own child, help him grow up.

The child defends his identity. He wants to preserve his nature, given to him by nature. He wants to be only himself and no one else.

About 150 years ago, doctors first described a special disorder they called mental infantilism. Infantilism (from lat. infantilis- childish) - a delay in the development of the body, in which people retain the features of “childishness” in behavior for a long time. Usually infantilism is not noticeable until the child goes to school; Often adults are touched by the spontaneity and “childishness” of their child. The school immediately highlights this lack of development and mercilessly aggravates it every day. Infantile children are careless, carefree, superficial in their judgments, do not feel any responsibility for their actions, and are unable to restrain their desires. They are very active and restless in class. Shy, touchy, easily suggestible, whiny. Initiative and observant in games, they are passive and indifferent in educational activities. During lessons, they quickly grasp explanations, but think about them little, usually do not finish what they start, and get tired very quickly. The demands of school discipline are often overwhelming for them: they walk around the classroom, talk during class, and show no interest in learning. All this extremely reduces their performance and soon pushes them into the category of those requiring correction.

What are the causes of infantilism? Pathological birth of the mother, frequent illnesses after birth, head bruises, etc. are the most common. They have always operated, but never before have there been so many infantile children as in our days. The point, therefore, is not only in biological disharmonies, but also in social influences and shortcomings in upbringing. Increased tension is pushing our children into early adulthood. To brighten up a childhood that is cruel for many, parents try to compensate for the shortcomings of parental love with one-time and infrequent, and therefore very dangerous, ingratiation, handouts, pleasures, as a result of which development proceeds in spurts, many illogical transitions are made in it, and many gaps remain leading to infantilism. Infantilism also occurs when living conditions are poor and children are rejected by adults. Inconsistency and contradictions in educational influences lead to the fact that children become more mature, but at the same time remain somehow naive and helpless. Among social reasons, feminization of education should be put in first place. Women with their soft character, unique logic, and increased emotionality easily spoil a fragile character. Therefore, boys are more likely to suffer from infantilism than girls. Over time, infantile boys and teenagers more often develop neuroses, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

Infantilism can be harmonious and disharmonious; there are no defined boundaries between them. Most common harmonious infantilism, in which the child behaves according to a younger age. The lag in maturation of the emotional-volitional sphere is usually noticeable until the age of 15, then the differences either smooth out or remain forever. Harmonious infantilism cannot be considered a pathology. It's just delayed development.

Disharmonious infantilism combined with emotional immaturity. A lag in the maturation of emotions (protrusion, exaggeration) is a one-sided hypertrophy of certain character traits. For some, excessive temper comes to the fore, for others - instability and weakness of will, for others - a tendency to fantasize, lie, and make up inventions. In any case, this dramatically disrupts school adaptation. Children suffering from this form of infantilism want to attract attention and rise in their own eyes with their unbridled fantasies.

What else is characteristic of infantile children? The predominance of gaming interests, quick satiety, frivolity, irresponsibility, an insufficiently developed sense of remorse, selfishness, carelessness, optionality, etc. Based on these signs, the teacher will unmistakably identify an infantile child. They act on their first impulse and think little about their consequences. It is difficult for them to delay receiving pleasure, they are impatient, irritable, and touchy. For them, life is all a game, and the hardest thing is the need to behave according to their age. If children have a biological predisposition to such behavior, then it is revealed, intensified, aggravated, and becomes caricatured due to excessive or insufficient parental love, due to improper upbringing.

How to correct infantilism? Corrective influences should go in the direction of forming attention and arousing interest. It is based on specially organized and feasible work, which is combined with special physical exercises. Children are systematically taught to conform their behavior to certain demands. They urgently need a firmly established daily routine, the requirement of its complete implementation.

It is necessary to create a special correctional subgroup for infantile children. Thus, several subgroups can be formed - for first-graders, second-graders, etc. For each age, for one year it is necessary to develop a special program, which should include a set of actions that develop and strengthen emotions, will, and conscious regulation of one’s behavior. It is necessary that the student understands what needs to be strictly followed, and then consciously regulate the schedule of his own activities. The daily routine in these subgroups must be intense and followed strictly.

Having discovered infantile children, the teacher will provide them with all possible assistance. He will establish a solid individual plan for growing up and will overcome his difficult steps together with the child.

Professional advice

Children love to see their successes grow. Make your academic results visible. This could be, for example, a graph on which you and your pet will mark his daily achievements. The final result that should be achieved must be established, and the time to achieve it - a week, a month, a quarter. Here many problems are solved at once: the child knows where he is going and sees how his successes are improving.

Create assignments of varying difficulty. Label them: easy, medium, difficult. Let the students choose the options themselves. Warn them that the work will not be graded.

Create different types of assignments: examples, tasks, riddles, puzzles, puzzles, etc. Give everyone the opportunity to choose what they like best. No grades will be given. The choice of option should signal to the teacher what kind of work the children prefer to do during the lessons.

It happens that we find ourselves involved in some business much more than we wanted. How does this happen? Experiments show that if we want to get significant help from someone, we first need to induce them to do a small favor. For example, when schoolchildren were simply asked to come to school at 7 o'clock. morning, only 24% came. When the schoolchildren were asked to water the flowers and they agreed, they were then told that to do this they needed to be at school at 7 o’clock. morning, 53% came. An initially harmless courtesy later leads to a major concession. Teachers need to understand this dependence well and constantly use it for correctional purposes.

Let's check ourselves

1. What are the causes of academic failure?

2. What reasons can cause developmental delay?

3. Describe a non-standard child.

4. What are the causes of school neurosis?

5. How do you feel about grade-free learning in primary school?

6. List the types of underachieving students.

7. Describe an intellectually undeveloped student.

8. Which children are classified as functionally immature?

9. How to work with weakened children?

10. Which students are classified as systemically behind?

11. What factors determine school maturity and how is it diagnosed?

12. How to correct the teaching of slow-thinking children?

13. What methods exist for correcting underachieving students?

14. What are the advantages and disadvantages of alignment classes?

15. What new solutions to the problem do experts offer?

16. How to detect if a child is behind in school?

17. What methods of correction of the lag are used by teachers?

18. How to develop children's independence?

19. How to develop children's activity?

20. How to improve relationships with struggling students?

21. How to help infantile children?

Let's read more

1. Amonashvili Sh.A. Education. Grade. Mark. M., 1980.

2. Gippenreiter Yu.B. Communication with the child. How? M., 1995.

3. Dobson D. Disobedient child. St. Petersburg, 1995.

4. Volkov IL. There is one goal - there are many roads. - M., 1990.

5. Raising a difficult child. / Ed. M.I. Rozhnova. M., 2000.

6. Games, learning, training, leisure... / Ed. V.V. Petrusinsky. M., 1994.

7. Ivanov IL. Encyclopedia of collective creative works. M., 1989.

8. Lysenkova S.N. When it's easy to learn. M., 1981.

9. Makarenko A.S. Pedagogical works: In 8 volumes. M., 1984. T. 4.

10. Matyukhina M.V. Motivation for teaching of younger schoolchildren. M., 1984.

11. Podlasy IL. Pedagogy of primary school. M., 2000.

12. Sartan G.N. Independence training for children. M., 1998.

13. Soloveichik S.P. Pedagogy for everyone. M., 1987.

14. Shatalov V.F. Support point. M., 1987.

15. Foppel K. How to teach children to cooperate? M., 1998.

16. Shevandrin N.I. Psychodiagnostics, correction and personality development. M., 2000.

Olga Kornienko
Consultation “Mental infantilism”

Nowadays they are quite common infantile children. Conducting psychoprophylactic and psychoeducational working with parents and teachers of senior and preparatory groups, it is necessary to pay attention to this problem. This is especially true for the larger number of parents who believe that if they can read and count, their children are ready for school. Consultation can be held at the beginning of the year for parents of children in the preparatory and senior groups. IN senior group I recommend carrying out consultation in parallel with consultation“Go to school from 6 or 7 years old”, where the topic of children’s school maturity will be touched upon.

Mental infantilism

Infantilism- developmental delay, preservation in physical appearance or behavior of traits inherent in previous age stages. Outwardly he looks like an adult, but behaves like a child. The term is used both in relation to physiological and psychic phenomena.

INFANTILISM –(from Lat. Infantilis – child)– preservation in the body and psyche human characteristics inherent in an earlier age.

Infantilism- varieties and characteristics.

1. Physiological infantilism. In medicine, the concept " infantilism" indicate the lag in physical development, which manifests itself in some people as a consequence of cooling, poisoning or infection of the fetus during pregnancy, oxygen starvation during childbirth, serious illnesses in the first months of life, metabolic disorders, disturbances in the activity of some endocrine glands (sex glands, thyroid gland, pituitary gland) and other factors. Such people have slower growth and development of all physiological systems the body is subsequently, as a rule, compensated.

2. Psychological infantilism. Mental infantilism- immaturity of a person, expressed in a delay in the formation of personality, in which a person’s behavior does not correspond to age requirements for him. The lag is mainly manifested in the development of the emotional-volitional sphere and the preservation of childhood personality traits. It is natural that infantile people are not independent. They are used to others deciding everything for them.

IN early age signs infantilism, decreases in the level of behavioral motivation are difficult to detect. Therefore o mental infantilism Usually they speak only from school age and adolescence, when the corresponding features begin to appear more clearly.

One of the most important development factors mental infantilism are the parents of a person who do not take the person seriously enough in childhood, replacing the realities of existence with fictitious images, thus separating the person from reality. That is, in human infantilism born normal, the parents themselves may be to blame.

Typical for infantile children are the predominance of gaming interests over academic ones, rejection of school situations and related disciplinary requirements. This leads to school maladjustment, and subsequently to social problems.

However infantile Children are very different from those who are mentally retarded or autistic. They are distinguished by a higher level of abstract logical thinking, are able to transfer learned concepts to new specific tasks, and are more productive and independent. Dynamics of emerging intellectual disability in infantilism characterized by favorability with a tendency to smooth out impairments in cognitive activity.

Simple infantilism should be distinguished from disharmonic, which can lead to psychopathy.

Psychological infantilism of the first type(according to V.V. Kovalev) is based on a delay in the development of the frontal lobes of the brain, caused by the described objective factors and improper upbringing. As a result, the child is delayed in developing an understanding of norms of behavior and communication, and in developing concepts "it is forbidden" And "necessary", feelings of distance in relationships with adults. He is not able to correctly assess the situation, change behavior in accordance with its requirements, and also foresee the development of events and, therefore, possible dangers and threats.

Such children differ from others in their naivety, inability to adapt, and their behavior does not correspond to their age. They often act imprudently, carelessly, not realizing that someone could offend them. At the same time infantile Children are capable of original thinking, feel artistic beauty and music.

Children with a simple form mental infantilism In terms of behavior, they are estimated to be 1-2 years younger than their true age. Mentally infantile the child is very cheerful, emotional, but "not according to age"- a 4-5 year old child resembles a 2-3 year old. He is ready to play and have fun endlessly and encourages his family to play and have fun with him.

And here is the result: infantile It’s time for the child to go to school, but he is not ready for it. But the child turns six and then seven years old, and still has to go to school. Infantile the child encounters independent children of his own age and is at first surprised, and then upset - severely, to the point of hysterical neurosis. Infantile the child is already ready to become difficult.

Immaturity in the second version mental infantilism(harmonic infantilism, according to G. E. Sukhareva) concerns not only mental, but also physical development.

The child not only behaves inappropriately for his age, but at 5 years old he also looks like a 3-year-old. He is small in stature, weighs little, graceful, miniature, but weak and fragile. He evokes tenderness and a desire to protect him. Keeping up with the development of speech and motor skills, he promptly masters all skills and abilities, drawing, counting and reading; he is often musical and emotionally alive, but in him, as in the first variant, the maturation of higher orientation functions is delayed.

Time passes, but the child is not ready to communicate with peers and is extremely dependent.

Such children, when entering school, may experience neurotic reactions and disorders in response to normal educational tasks. behavior: psychologically they are not ready to accept and fulfill school requirements. In the classroom, like preschoolers, they turn any school situation into a game. During the lesson, they can come up to the teacher and cuddle, use educational supplies as toys.

U mentally infantile according to the second option there is no feeling of inadequacy. He accepts himself as he is. Accordingly, he rarely develops neurosis. Mentally infantile According to the second option, the child is not rushed to develop. He will follow his peers, about a year behind them, and will catch up with them by the time he starts school. Physical weakness and short stature are compensated by the development of dexterity. And again we see - education decides everything! By the age of 10-12, children, as a rule, straighten out.

Parents should be wary of the development of a third option mental infantilism. The baby is born mentally and physically healthy, but, protecting him from life, artificially delay his socialization by the egocentric or anxious-suspicious nature of upbringing.

This often happens to parents who have been waiting for their first child for a long time. The whole family can't get enough of the baby! The most ineresting childhood– from 2 to 3 years. And parents unconsciously want to keep the child in it and succeed in this. Incorrect upbringing makes healthy child immature, the development of the frontal functions of the brain is artificially delayed.

They forgive the child everything, they try to make it easier for him life path. But outside of his home, fate will not treat him so carefully! Parents prone to overprotection think about it: After five and a half years, your child may already be in such a state as if he had brain damage!

What are the signs infantilism, developing according to the third option? Physically the baby is developed absolutely normally, but behaves like child: may interrupt the teacher, endlessly ask to go to the toilet or go home; At home he only strives to play and does not perform household duties. He does not admit refusal in anything, he ignores the condition of his parents. He is capricious, demanding and hysterical, his childishness no longer pleases anyone. With the third option mental infantilism the path to hysterical neurosis is possible.

One of the most striking types of attitude towards a child on the part of loved ones and one of the grossest pedagogical mistakes is placing him on a pedestal.

From an early age, a child with average statistics gets used to the fact that he is adored in any case; his every success is perceived as proof of his talent, superiority over others; every loss is experienced by the whole family; each of his rivals is considered his worst enemy - this is how inflated self-esteem is formed. When faced with reality, a child can experience a real shock.

3. Social infantilism. Social infantilism caused by a violation of the mechanisms of Socialization, under the influence of sociocultural conditions. It can be expressed in young people's rejection of new responsibilities and obligations associated with the process of growing up.

It is possible that the spread of socially conditioned homosexuality in the modern “consumer society” is associated with one of the forms of manifestation infantilism- the reluctance of men to take responsibility for raising children when married to a woman. In this case, in the sexual behavior of such men, there is a repression of sexual feelings, a transfer of normal sexual desire to partners of the same sex, with a corresponding sharp decrease in the volume of necessary mutual obligations, and a decrease in the risk of Psychological problems.

Children's immaturity is emotional immaturity, not mental retardation development: children master speech in normal terms, ask questions, draw, read, count normally, mentally active and even combative.

Mental infantilism represents a lag in personal development, mainly due to shortcomings in education, therefore, adequate pedagogical influence plays a decisive role in overcoming it.

With such development, the emotional-volitional sphere is, as it were, at an earlier stage of development, in many ways reminiscent of the normal structure of the emotional makeup of children more younger age. Characterized by the predominance of emotional motivation for behavior, heightened background mood, spontaneity and brightness of emotions with their superficiality and instability, easy suggestibility.