aspergers ds obsessed with Formula 1

[GeorgeEliot]

DS1 (13) who is borderline Aspergers is obsessed with Formula 1. Drives me nuts, and now not all the races are shown on BBC TV he is going on and on about how we should get Sky. We can't afford £35 a month for Sky.

I think he should be content with watching the highlights shows which are shown on the BBC but he just won't listen. And I can't bear the way it eats into family time.

Do you have a friend with a recordable DVD player and sky?..............just a thought. :)

Then you could start storing up a collection that he could watch to his hearts content. Or pehaps some formula 1 season DVDs to fill in the gaps :)

snap! Ds2 (9/10) had a breakdown the other day about how we didn't have Sky for Formula 1. He also wants to have a sleepover where the guests wake up at dawn to watch a particular race in April (are they races? not even sure of the parlance)
Sport eats in our family time too...it is not football and Rugby watching it is incessant F1.

I have just given in and bought him an Xbox (for his brother's birthday too) so he can play Xbox Formula 1. I suppose if he was obsessed about something I was interested in, I wouldn't think twice about gratifying his obsession. Perhaps that's the only way to approach it.

ps we are not getting Sky. We have told him he has to find a friend with a similar interest and a sky channel.

The only comfort is that their obsessions DO change.

hi, I can completely understand your predicament, my son has just turned 3 and is not talking at all other than saying yes and making baby noises (even this takes a lot of vehicle). unfortunately he has not yet been diagnosed with anything however at times his behaviour can be so extreme I can't see what else he may have, he is also obsessed with any sort of vehicle but especially busses and F1 cars, fortunately we do have sky however this morning for example he came in our room and was watching the qualifying, we went out and when we got home the same channel was on, I automatticly asked him if he wanted to watch the "fast cars", he said yes but when I put the channel on there was no racing which caused him to get upset (also as I said, he doesn't talk,cor copy any noises we encourage however if you ask him what noise a car makes he makes an F1 sound) and as above my son is also obsseed with sport, it does nit matter what type is on, as long as it is sport he will watch it, xxx

sorry meant to say (even this takes a lot of encouragement).

i limit my 7 year old obsessions or it drives me mad! really inteferes with family life and totally takes over his life, i use a timer that sets for an hour, hes adjusted really well to it, he knows when the timer goes off thent thats it! no more talk of his interest (have to be firm!) and no more playing it. I have a 17 year old son so understand that your son is a teen and might prove more difficult to restrict him, but i couldnt let my son play/talk/live his interests/obsessions as and when he pleased as it would drive me into an early grave

Today we have tried to timetable the watching of sport rather than let it blow up in our faces later when we tell him he can't watch yet another hour of x y z. We also told him no morning telly if he is planning to watch F1 and Liverpool match this afternoon!

Another tip is to listen to Sky Radio Sports coverage online, Ds2 was quite happy with that this morning. I think listening to the radio is a habit to be encouraged in general, as it encourages them to imagine rather than just watch.

missgiggle Cars is a wonderful film for those children who are obsessed, as the characters also have feelings. Also Thomas and the Magic Railroad film is great, and all the Thomas Tank Engine episodes. Certainly less tedious than Formula 1. Also, an idea to help him speak, I sang and read a lot to Ds2 so I think he learnt a lot of language that way, easier to remember than spoken words perhaps. I think obsession with cars and trains is a delightful obsession anyway, better than hitting or shouting - and there is so much to learn in those fields to keep them interested and occupied for the rest of their lives! Ds moved onto being obsessed by the inventions and science as a result. So there is a positive!

Thanks for all the responses, it is comforting to know that others share the same issues.

Going to look up the Sky Radio Sports coverage of F1, and I think we need better advance planning - so the whole day isn't spent watching TV. Although this morning I had a Mothers' Day lie-in until 11 so i'm not on very strong ground for negotiating today ...

feel a bit guilty now, Dh has said he doesn't know what Radio station it was, and Sky radio doesn't exist probably but it was something radio...probably BBC Five live

BBC radio 5 live sport extra covers F1.

thanks Mess! George -hope you made progress.