My son has a few quirks and I'm wondering if anyone here can shed some light on why.
He was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, but I think there is something else.
The main issue that is bothering me is how he interacts with me. He invades my personal space a lot, and I'm less tolerant of it as he gets older. For background, he slept in my bed many nights until he was ten (would badger me).
He always sleeps in his own room now, but I can hardly relax when he's here because he wants to 'chill' in my bedroom with me when I go there to relax.
Sometimes during chats, it's hard to bear. He moves limbs, might stick his tongue out and wriggle it, fidgets with nearby objects, flip phone up and down and might stare intently at me during the conversations. It's all way too intense for me as it gives me huge sensory overload.
I've told him not to come in my room, but he won't stop coming in. I redirect him to spending time together in kitchen/ living room, his room, or we go to a cafe or restaurant, but he still does it.
He also does things like tap me on the shoulder if passing me, makes sudden loud, sharp 'bark' noises, stands too close to me and other things that people do to annoy others. He always says he's joking and doesn't mean to upset or annoy me.
Another thing he does is call me by my first name when I ask him not to.
When he was younger, he used to say to me that he was me ( my first name) and would try to get me to confirm this by repeating it back to him ( I didn't, but it was a big phase for him aged around 7- 8.) he has always been clingy and bordering on obsessed with me.
Also, he would solomly (sp?) say my full name, for example, if passing me in the hallway or kitchen. It riles me so I asked him to stop, but he wouldn't.
Even now, he might send me a text or voicemail just saying my name.
He asks for his favourite dish by inserting my name in the middle of the word (e.g. Spag- Chloe-bolognaise) and does the same for lots of things.
So there is that, and lots of trouble at school (three stints at PRUs so far, mainly due to swearing at teachers if he feels backed into a corner.)
Ive explained many times that my bedroom is my personal space, but he doesn't ( or doesn't want to) get it. He insists he means no harm. He stops temporarily if I threaten no pocket money.
Maybe he will grow out of it, I don't know. He has lots of friends he's had for years, several different groups and is popular with them. Mostly great kids.
Has anyone had similar or can shed any light?