Do you 'indulge' your DC's obsessions?

[Vagaceratops]

Those are my DH's words, not mine.

DS (5 with ASD) has been obsessed with ITNG for about 3 years. He watches the DVD's and has they toys (mainly Ninky nonks which he loves to play with). I have picked up a new one for Christmas, as well as some DVD's. DH is starting to make noises that we shouldnt indulge this obsession.

I think its perfectly harmless, he enjoys it and if he doesnt have his ITNG, he doesnt really have a lot else.

What do you do? Go with it, or try to distract and get new interests.

Go 4 it, he will probably move on to something else soon. My Dd 8 with ASD is obsessed with Tom and Jerry - we do limit how many she watches though or we'd all go insane. Also Chessington world of Advebture, we had a Merlin tick et for 1 year 2 years ago, couldn't afford to renew so everytime she went on the computer she was looking at teh Chessington map. She's now moved on to watching roller coaster clips on U-tube.
I haev ASD as well and these sort of things provide relaxation an security in an otherwise unsure stressful world.

I indulge them. Dd loves night garden and loads of cbeeebies stuff. I think they get tired of it in their own time. Im also not sure it is possible to resist without making the child unhappy. The only time I would intervene would be if it was having a negative impact on dd or the rest of the family.

Another one who indulges. My DS interests have evolved over the years (currently Star Wars and the Solar System).
It's what he enjoys.
Now saying that, if I find they are becoming too intrusive into RL I will time limit him as to how long he can do it. Bell goes, end of.

DS has AS, DD is NT.

At age 4, DS only liked thomas, DD liked the tweenies, Dora, Barbie - realistically the only way that made a difference was that there was a bigger range of themed tat that DD could have.

No amount of not buying DS Thomas things or stopping him watching it was going to make him be interested in other things, just like living with DD hasn't made him any better at interacting with his peers...

If it's interfering with daily life that's an issue - but if it's just a case of thinking he should be interested in other things, he won't be just because he isn't given the ones he is interested in.

I makes no difference whether I indulge ds1 or not, indeed even when his peers take the piss. He was begging me for wonderpets beanies yesterday. He starts year five on Thursday.

Not 'indulging' won't stop them from obsessing.

My sons obsessions give him a lot of pleasure and comfort so I'm quite happy to not just put up with but facilitate them.

My sons obsessions give him a lot of pleasure and comfort so I'm quite happy to not just put up with but facilitate them.

Thats exactly how I feel Amber.

I cant remember if it was Wendy Lawson who I heard speak, but she said that in anyone else, like a sports person, it wouldnt be called an obsession, but a passion. Thats how I like to think.

Agree. I think I prefer 'passion' too!

I really don't see the harm tbh.

Has your DH found it hard accepting your sons diagnosis do you think?

Yup, every interest that he's had for 17 years unless it was dangerous.
Used them as learning tools for all sorts of educational opportunities and to scaffold his understanding of new information and experiences.

Have an OH whose obsessions took him to an Oxbridge PhD.

I just go along with it, unless it's dangerous.

I agree with Wendy Lawson too. Children who have all the latest football kits, programmes, posters, of their favourite football teams are seen as being perfectly "normal". Why should it be any different if it's a non-sports related interest?

I agree also that it is the same for many hobbies and interests, SN or no.

I generally indulge, but it can be wearing when for example we are on holiday and DS is desperate not to miss a Grand Prix and the rest of us want to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon on the beach not watching telly.

I have ITNG DVDs ds has outgrown them, does anyone want them? I think one is scratched, so may be a bit jumpy, but am happy to pass on...

PS i am gonna be on hols this week, so won't be able to reply/send till next week.

If it's scratched, have you tried cleaning it with Brasso? Works well on small faults and scratches.

ooo, ta, not heard of that... (still looking for a good home for them tho, )

Tough one the only reason I try to limit obsession with tv programmes is because it causes ds's echolalia to go into over drive and I am conscious that it will become a bullying issue once he starts school.

I think DH's main problem is that ITNG is quite babyish, and he does a lot of echolia, so we get alot about the ninky nonk and upsy daisy's bed etc. I think DS worried that other children will start to laugh at him.

Yes, I do try and make sure DS is broadly in line with his peers, he still likes Peppa Pig aged 8, although it isn't an obsession, but we were at a friend's house and DS's friend was flicking through the children's channels when DS said he'd like to watch Peppa, friend came over to his mum who was with me and whispered that he couldn't believe DS still liked PP, which his mum responded to by saying he could like whatever he wanted to, but it did spur me into a little chat about which things were suitable to watch with friends and which things we just watch at home. Luckily his present obsessions with football, F1, Moshi Monsters and Super Mario are all appropriate.

DS collects the sticky labels off of hovis - not allowed to be any other either! We have about 50 currently

My DS2 is 15 now, and over the years has progressed from Sesame Street to musicals and now Box Office Mojo statistics (totally obsessed with film takings, info about the producers etc but doesn't watch the actual films) and Dr Who..

It is who is is.. and we just go with it because it absorbs his thoughts, it makes him happy and it does no one any harm..tho it can be wearing t times as he is very repetitive.

On the other hand DH who is allegedly neurotypical is obsessed with bikes! Horses for courses and all that:):) I find DS2's passion for his areas of interest wonderful , he will never be 'normal' but he will always be able to enjoy them!

I can see where your DH is coming from, I remember posting a thread on here a while back about worrying about DS still being hooked on Cbeebies at 6/7. I think like Amber and Shannara says, if something harmless keeps your kid happy, and helps them cope with the stresses of life, then yes, in the privacy of their own home they should be indulged. But there is nothing wrong with gently encouraging, but not forcing more age appropriate TV programmes.... Possibly some of the Art Attack type programmes or Annabel's Kitchen on CITV might appeal, or TotalWipeout?

My DS has quite a few interests, that he revisits regularly.

He is 9 next month, but will still sit glued to Thomas when it comes on, and watched a whole Little Red Tractor DVD this afternoon with DS3. He's been teased for other things, but never the objects of his interests (more likely to be the intensity).

I had to laugh at the Hovis stickers, though. One of the reports written during DS's Dx states 'Ami's DS collects corks.' Nothing else, just the bald fact, as if that alone were evidence for Dx!