At child psychologist today ds2 had to describe each family member as an animal - what does it mean anyone?

[ErnesttheBavarian]

Himself - ant ( is this good, as in strong and hard working, or bad as in small and insignificant??)
Dh - gorilla?
Me - owl?
Ds1 - penguin?
Ds3 - little bird
dd - golden labrador (was v. specific re breed)

it depends what the animals do next maybe?

see www.mendeley.com/research/mother-were-animal-animal-creating-playstories-family-therapy-animal-attribution-storytelling-technique-aastt/

"The animal name attribution to family members creates a fun, nonthreatening atmosphere that helps to promote the description of personality traits and interpersonal relationships through the various animal counterparts. The ensuing story allows each family member to describe situations, feelings, wishes, and more as belonging to the animals and not to themselves"

this is slightly differnent last page here

www.lianalowenstein.com/articleFamilyTherapy.pdf

It must depend a bit on his own associations I'd have thought? For instance, if you know dogs are his favourite animal, or you know he's a bit scared of gorillas, or whatever. I would absolutely have said a snail as a child because I was really obsessed with them and goodness knows what they would have made of that out of context!

"Similarly Arad (2004) described a story-telling method
in family therapy, asking children what animal they would
choose to represent their parents and other family members.
This helps family members to view dynamics in a more
symbolic way and through the child?s eyes."

www.processwork.org/files/Finalprojects/ANZJFT%20PLAYTHERAPY%20NO%20SMALL%20CHANGE.pdf

nxt quesiton is what child thinks it means by each animal - not what you think it means. his view of each animal may be totally differnet from yours

He wasn't asked to elaborate or explain afaik, so I just wondered how they interpreted it, cos as you say, it seems quite open - he chose golden labrador for dd so they play a game together where they are both doggies, and she often calls him doggy anyway, e.g. at breakfast, not just when they are specifically playing doggies.

My initial thought when he said ant was hard working and positive, but see it could be viewed v. negatively. So what's the point if it is so open to totally opposite interpretations??