Emperor Syndrome In Children – Parenthood

Have you ever heard of Emperor Syndrome in children? It is a psychological pathology that modifies the behavior of children. Children who suffer from it become authoritarian. They claim to exercise power and dominance over the rest of the family members.

Emperor syndrome in children is a relatively new phenomenon. It is also known as Opposition Defiant Disorder (ODD). Children affected by this find want to appropriate power. And this, in the interest of imposing it on all those around them in everyday life.

The parents of these children find it difficult to make decisions that go against the best interests of the child. Even for trivial matters, like choosing which TV channel to watch or which dish to prepare for dinner. Of course, this extends to more transcendent issues. For example, choosing a vacation destination or buying new toys. It can even, in some cases, affect the decision to have another child or not.

How to detect emperor syndrome in children?

As the name suggests, it is characterized by the child’s refusal to have someone else make decisions for him. He wants, permanently, to feel master of the power in the space where he is. If he feels that this is not the case, he can exteriorize it categorically, even aggressively. Here are some behaviors that occur in these situations:

• The  whims and tantrums.
•  Verbal and physical assault on parents and superiors.
• The child will try to exercise  psychological manipulation   on the parents.
• Frequent egocentric behaviors  .
• Almost nonexistent frustration tolerance.
• Inordinate  and unfounded demands.
• He takes the role of the victim to persuade his parents.

Why does this syndrome occur?

Essentially, the researchers point to the theory that this problem is due to the limited time that children share with adults. In other words, the causes are much more social than biological. There is, in fact, an undeniable fact which ratifies this idea. The  children are not born of “tyrants”. On the contrary, they learn to be tyrants over the years. Moreover, according to experts, this is happening earlier and earlier.

What Do Parental Working Hours Have To Do With Emperor Syndrome In Children? What this lack of time spent together causes them not to be able to set clear boundaries in their education.

In addition,  there is a sense of guilt that forces them to spoil him more than they should. Therefore, children deduce that they have the opportunity to manipulate them.

However, this disorder does not only affect only children. Indeed, there are many children without brothers and sisters who are well brought up. They therefore do not suffer from this psychological condition. In addition, there are also little ones who have brothers and sisters who are trying to take power. The latter try to impose themselves against their brothers and sisters and their parents.

What to do with these kinds of children?

The first thing to resolve is the use of violence. And this, whether it is manifested against parents, siblings, teachers or school authorities. For this, the example and the hard work of parents are fundamental. Indeed, it will be necessary to convey to it the importance of dialogue, respect and tolerance.

On the other hand,  it will also take a lot of work on children’s empathy. This means that you have to teach them to understand how other people feel under all circumstances. They must also learn to react to it in a positive way.

In addition, and this  is probably the most important point, you have to set limits from the start. The child must understand at all times that there are rules of conduct. And these are valid both at home and in other institutions. He will have to respect these rules, which will govern his life.

In cases where everything is going well, it is also important to put in place positive reinforcements. The recognition and rewards for respecting the rules will allow the child to integrate them with more openness and ease.

Of course, there is one last aspect that is as central as it is non-negotiable: time. Having parents present, who are fulfilling their true role, will prevent the child from suffering from Emperor Syndrome. He will know his parents are there. They should also be aware that they will take care of him and that he should respect them.

College and adolescence

Finally, let’s tackle a very common situation these days. Teachers often oppose the emergence of requests from disobedient students. In return, they  often receive complaints and even mistreatment from parents.  Indeed, the latter often question their authority and their decisions.

But that only promotes Emperor Syndrome in children. Once again, the child uses his power of manipulation. And that allows him to get away with it and use his parents to his advantage.

In addition, we often observe the same behavior in adolescents. At this point, these children are already oblivious to the limits. In addition, their resolution capacity already has a solid foundation. This can lead to violent behavior towards relatives and friends.  It is essential to seek professional help if this happens.

In short, it is important for parents to ensure that children do not miss anything while they are growing up. Indeed,  it is essential to establish rules and set limits. Otherwise, you are not just risking their academic future. Their professional life and social development also depend on it.