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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Toddler obsessed with cuckoo clocks

82 replies

Cookiecrumblepie · 05/01/2022 16:19

Is this odd or AIBU and it’s totally normal?

My toddler 2 years 8 months is obsessed with cuckoo clocks. Completely obsessed. He loves playing with them for hours and watching videos of cuckoo clocks over and over on YouTube instead of a toddler show like Daniel Tiger etc. I think this is quite strange! But then again he is little so maybe a phase?

Has been going on for a few months!

OP posts:
TansySorrel · 05/01/2022 19:59

Loved

TroysMammy · 05/01/2022 20:01

My niece was obsessed with buses. As a treat I'd take her to the bus station.

I wanted, had and still have got a cuckoo clock I wanted for Christmas when I was 10.

Original poster
Cookiecrumblepie · 05/01/2022 20:05

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! @ShinyMe we’ll look at that one!

I was wondering whether this is a sign of autism or a touch of autism. My toddler also doesn’t like loud noises or other children touching him so I was thinking whether all combined it might point to something. But might be too early to tell and seems like the obsession stage is normal!

OP posts:
Normski67 · 05/01/2022 20:11

@firstimemamma

When mine was a toddler he was obsessed with dustbin lorries. They like what they like op! Grin
My son too Grin we spent hours playing bin men, waiting for the bin lorry, waving at the bin men. He used to make little piles of ‘rubbish’ for his toy bin lorry to collect.
RowanAlong · 05/01/2022 20:39

Weather vanes, fungi, lighthouses, snakes ... some of the preschooler obsessive crazes we’ve had!

RowanAlong · 05/01/2022 20:40

And yes, now suspected ASD.

mynameiscalypso · 05/01/2022 20:44

@WhoAre

My year old is also clock mad! If he sees one he shouts and tells everyone what colour it is and asks to get them off the walls. He gets so excited bless him.

There was a time he couldn't pronounce it quite right and shouted 'oh there's a big black cock' at soft play once which was an experience.

I have a similar two year old. We spend an awful lot of time looking at 'tick tocks'. I heard him talking about them in his sleep the other day.
firstimemamma · 05/01/2022 20:54

@Normski67 oh god yes - the little bits of ripped up paper for the toy dustbin lorry to collect! We actually played that game today! "Look mummy, let's do another tip-tip!" Smile

Clymene · 05/01/2022 21:16

I don't know if you're anywhere near London but he'd probably really enjoy a trip to see the clock at the Swiss Centre in Leicester Square

Firebird83 · 05/01/2022 23:15

My DS is obsessed with buses and watches bus-spotter videos on YouTube haha.

shreddednips · 05/01/2022 23:37

That's very sweet that he loves cuckoo clocks 😁 my toddler has been through all kinds of unusual interests. My friend bought him a funny picture book all about weird animals and he's now highly interested in leeches. Which isn't a sentence I thought I'd ever type. He likes to pretend to be a leech and suck people's blood. I hope he doesn't ask me to find YouTube videos for that particular niche enthusiasm.

KO81 · 05/01/2022 23:40

I was obsessed with dustbins as a small child. Utterly obsessed. When my parents found brightly coloured ones for me, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Kids are weird.

Vampirethriller · 06/01/2022 09:23

Oh mine also really loves post vans/post men. The local ones all wave now because she's yelled POST at them so many times!

pinkgin85 · 06/01/2022 09:26

My 6 year old is obsessed with google maps. He has the entire map of our area memorised, he knows what's down every street!

VaguelyInteresting · 06/01/2022 09:32

Oh my 5yo has had phases (from about 2) of:

  • space craft launch videos (Apollo etc)
  • steam train videos
  • squid/octopus videos
  • crab videos
  • back to space for videos about the space station

It’s very very normal. You become expert in niche subjects really quickly. Nothing I can’t tell you about squid and octopi.

My 3yo niece is obsessed with rubbish trucks Grin

ThinWomansBrain · 06/01/2022 09:37

If you live in or near London, do take him to see the fabulous clock at Fortnum and Mason's - I had no idea it was there until friend pointed it out a few years ago.

Vbree · 06/01/2022 09:40

That's so cute! My 19 month old is completely obsessed with wheels. Will upend any toy and start spinning the wheels shouting "wheel wheel"! Same with books too.

OnlyAFleshWound · 06/01/2022 09:45

@BarbaraLoganPrice

Mine was really into windmills and water filters at that age- the ones you put fruit in and screw into your water bottle. Have a photo somewhere of him asleep cuddling the filter. And at aged 3 his favourite toy is now an antique wooden coffee grinder Smile It's a lovely, natural curiosity and in a world dominated by screens I'd encourage it as much as I could.
She said he watches it on YouTube all the time. Not exactly getting away from screens
VaguelyInteresting · 06/01/2022 10:02

@OnlyAFleshWound

But online content can be a great jumping off point for real world experiences.

From seeing a video of a steam train sparking his interest, I’ve taken my son to the national railway museum, on a range of real steam rail trips, to an industrial museum, amassed a huge wooden train track set, bought age appropriate books about engineering, etc etc. It’s been an interest that’s endured for 3 years, and brought both of us lots of fun and joy- sparked by a 5 min YouTube video.

There is absolutely a place for online engagement- it’s not a bad thing.

dottiedodah · 06/01/2022 10:06

That sounds so cute OP .Amazon have a range starting at about £13.99.Although the novelty will probably wear off for you at least!

OnlyAFleshWound · 06/01/2022 11:03

[quote VaguelyInteresting]@OnlyAFleshWound

But online content can be a great jumping off point for real world experiences.

From seeing a video of a steam train sparking his interest, I’ve taken my son to the national railway museum, on a range of real steam rail trips, to an industrial museum, amassed a huge wooden train track set, bought age appropriate books about engineering, etc etc. It’s been an interest that’s endured for 3 years, and brought both of us lots of fun and joy- sparked by a 5 min YouTube video.

There is absolutely a place for online engagement- it’s not a bad thing.[/quote]
Op describes her toddler watching YouTube videos "over and over again" for hours. That's not good for any child, and especially not a 2 year old.

HappyDays40 · 06/01/2022 11:15

We went to a folk festival when my son was the same age. He came back obsessed with clog dancing snf and Morris dancing.
After a trip to he Isle of Man and week of lovely days out to wilde life parks and beach walks, man was sick on the ferry on the way home and that was the highlight of his holiday.
Totally normal OP, be prepared for more obsessions.Grin

MangoM · 06/01/2022 11:23

I think (and am hoping!) it's completely normal.

Mine is obsessed with umbrellas, and has been for the last 6 months at least. He was more excited when he opened his children's umbrella present than any of the other cool toys he received Hmm

VaguelyInteresting · 06/01/2022 11:35

@OnlyAFleshWound

I think you’re being a bit mean. Nobody asked for a debate or your opinion on the optimum amount of screen time for children, did they?

VaguelyInteresting · 06/01/2022 11:36

@OnlyAFleshWound

Also recheck the OP- she says “playing with clocks for hours and hours and watching videos over and over”.

She doesn’t say how long the videos are watched for- they might be 30sec videos watched 10x. That’s still only 5 mins.

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