Disliking Thomas

[Jimjams]

I seem to be posting a lot- having a bad patch.

Any ideas why ds1 would suddenly hate Thomas with a passion. He used to love it- he still likes trains, but whenever I put a Thomas video on he goes mad.

One is playing next door at the moment (first tv of the day btw- so I don't think he's over stimulated). DS2 is sitting transfixed. DS1 is shouting. When I ask what's wrong he says "gahun" (thomas) or even more bizarrely "gaee gan" (granny's car). He's just lying next door shouting gibberish crossly at the moment, occasionally hitting himself.

Any ideas? Think I'm going to walk the boys down to the shops to buy myself some wine

Poor you, and poor Ds.

Not sure what might be going on. NT dd would go through phases of 'refusing' the things that she loved most. It drove me bonkers.

He hasn't been hit with a Thomas or something like that?

Your ds does seem to be more driven to communicate of late, is his frustration at being misunderstood growing? Could that be at the root of the problem? ie he wants a different Tomas video but can't explain?

Never mind, the wine will help. I'm about to take the kids to a halloween party and I'm betting that ds is going to have a fit when presented with fancy dress.

I have a theory (developed over the last half hour) that its because the video consists of lots of short stories and he wants the story to end. And it freaks him out because he knows the end is coming.

We have a Halloween party to go to- I'm sending ds2 to Mum's so I can concentrate on ds1. He had a party at nursery this morning, but I made the mistake of putting his costume on without puttig his coat on. He has a thing about taking coats off so he took his costume off like a coat then refused to put it back on again. He was the only one not in fancy dress. Never mind- small problem I guess. We'll try again tonight!

I've just make a big plate of axeman snacks. Frankferters with the ends trimmed to look like nail beds with a nail of cut radish. stick the cut end into a bread roll with a dollop of tomato sauce.....more nitrates and e-numbers than you can shake a stick at!

And to think I should be planning lessons!

Ds still gets odd little 'strops' about things. His communication has improved a great deal, as has his imaginative play, so I'm not worried about him being ASD any more. But he is on the curve enough for me to recognise aspects of his behaviour in ASDers that I teach. These things are just so important to them, at a level that we can't comprehend.

Hope the party goes well. I'm not convinced that ds will dress up, but I'm going to try.

OMG- I was just going to grab a bag of popcorn!.

Dinosaur he wouldn't have done it a few months ago (funny nylon material) but his BIBIC programme seems to have worked in this area.

I'll see if I can get it right tonight. Costume then coat, costume then coat

My ds was the only one at his halloween party without a costume too. He did wear it earlier this evening but refused to put it on when the time came to go out. (Just as well I didn't bother to buy a new one!) the party was a disco which he really coped well with once he'd edged in the door and then walked round examining everything. by the end he was running around like everyone else

Jimjams - anything in that video that reminds your ds1 of his granny's car?

Hope he had a good party

Well the costume stayed on for longer this time. It's weird because elsewhere I've described the party as very NT, and it wasn't at all- there were 4 autis there! It seemed very NT though (biggest gathering of NT children I've been near for about 2 years anyway). So my head is still spinning.
I thought we woud have to bail out early. DS1 was shaking and clinging to me when we went in, but we went upstairs for about half an hour to the party boys bedroom and he calmed down. He ended up dancing round by the magician (much to the magician's horror I think- he had 2 autis dancing around, the other one was pinching the balloons, all the other children were sitting nicely, the magician was geting very flustered "oh my goodness I need help, sit down please, oh oh I need help". ). But anyway I was pleased to see him in a room with so many children. He sat down for the party tea as well. So all in all a success. Another party today.

Eulalia ds1 has to examine everything as well. I get so cross at assements when they start trying to assess him without giving him any exploratory time at all.

Sounds like you both had a great time. I'm so pleased for you and ds. That sounds like quite a big step forward.

My Ds amazed me by putting on the fancy dress and keeping it on! A first. He didn't take part in the organised games but lived all the running round and shouting!

Stupid magician!! Jimjams, agree it could be he's trying to get a different video or something about that video is bothering him OR it could just be asserting himself. My son goes through phases of "turning against" things he's liked before and chucking them out of his room as he doesn't want US to assume he'll just accept what we think he likes....... which obviously changes anyway!

on the thomas subject- ds2 LOVED it but we had hysterics evry time they only showed a 'clip' of it on t.v- or if i taped a load and managed to run out of tape before the end music...or if i missed the EXACT start of the programme whether taping or not... this was at age 18 mths to 2 and this then progressed to ANY clips being shown of ANY programme he liked....and back to thomas - he loved BRIO and played for hours...then i had the 'stupid' idea to buy him a battery engine- he hated it and never played with it (even switched off) then just to top it all asked nanny to buy him a mountain tunnel which made 'LOUD' spooky and train noises everytime a train went through it...well....DISASTER- at 7 he still freaks out when DS3 uses it (which DS£ often does to make ds2 SQWAWK!!!) And finally....progressed at 4yrs to TOMICA (plastic track with large plastic battery engines which freewheeled too)Took a very long time for him to use battery option...and only because we bought an atomatic level crossing.....and the FINAL WASTED PURCHASE (BEFORE I LEARNT THAT JUST BECAUSE HE 'LOVES' TRAINS..... IT DOESN'T MEAN HE 'LOVES ALL TRAIN THINGS!!) was a Talking James The Red Engine for the tomica track....i thought this was sooooo clever- it came with 6 pieces of green track (1st problem...it wasn't blue) and every time james went over a apiece of it he would say something or speed up or blow his whistle.... DS2 hated it and though eventually did play as designed with it- it was the least used engine.

I have loads of other examples of this kind of reaction....but guess what i'll wait to be asked!!! (I am TRYING to shorten my posts.....HONEST!!!)

Hi everyone - My DS isn't interested in Thomas at all - He was given the train set for his first birthday - now aged 4 year, totally ignores it. When Thomas the Tank programme comes on tv in the mornings - he screams and yells his head off - he really dislikes it - not sure why??? He often gets very frustrated, when programmes finish - or the changing of channels ( we now pre-warn him what our intentions are - BUT still doesn't stop his outbursts!!)With video tapes, he mainly prefers to watch Barney, teletubbies, & Tweenies sometimes - If you chose anything else WOW our house falls apart. At the moment, he has been very intense - constantly wanting things repeating phrases over and over again - you have to answer him, otherwise I don't think he'd stop. I have had an exceptionally busy weekend with him - he has been full-on -demanding I do the ironing (gets right in there and helps fold it!!) hoovering etc... Won't take no for an answer!!