Obsessive behavious

[clairebear123]

My 6 year old DS is becoming obsessive! He has to go out of the same door he came in through, he won't walk over the rugs in the house has to walk around them, and when he's talking to us he says everything twice. Tried being really firm with him but he's just getting upset. Is this normal behaviour and how do I handle it?

if you know there is no real trigger for this - trauma, family upsets etc - then I would maybe assume that this will pass. I have known alot of kids who have an obsessive phase, I think it's more common than you might think. I remember not wanting to step on the lines on the pavement etc!

I think it's to do with control? the world is a scary place for kids, there's alot to process and many ways in which they are not in control.

I would try to ignore this as much as possible personally.

Thanks for that. I know how I handle this could make a difference especially if there is something wrong and it's so frustrating when it takes so long to do anything. I will try to ignore for a while and see what happens.

clairebear- i was that child! for months i had to do everything twice - i remember it all very vividly, i was 6 too. it was exhausting - had to go upstairs right back to the toilet had just been to, touch the door handle in the same place, come down the stairs again, that sort of thing. it did pass though my parents were driven crazy for a time!! i was anxious, i guess, and i think it probably was about control as honoria says. anyway it passed without anyone having to do anything at all, though obviously it took me longer to get out the door in the mornings for school for a while!
lots of kids do indeed go through this and need a matter-of-fact understanding approach. i would try not to make a big deal of any of it (when that's possible). good luck!

Thanks, even just talking about it with my dh we are starting to remember similar things we did ourselves. It's just a bit scary when you are helpless and so tempting to nag which I know now will just make it worse. Have to count to ten but am an expert counter!