Dd1 (AS) Has become obsessed with God

[Marne]

Dd1 joined an after school club, it turned out to be a club run by the church, at the club the children talk about the bible and then watch a DVD about Jesus or God. I decided to help out at the club (so i could keep my eye on dd1), when the DVD was playing dd1 was the only child really taking any notice, i found the DVD a bit full on for a 6 year old and i was tempted to take dd1 out of the room as i kind of guessed what would happen.

Dd1 now keeps asking me questions about death and God (i don't really mind this) but she has become obsessed with 'joining Jesus's family' and she believes Jesus will forgive us whatever we do wrong' ,she's also become obsessed with the crusafiction (sp) of Jesus and tells the story over and over.

I find it hard to talk to dd1 about God as i don't really believe. I don't want her becoming obsessed.

Please tell me it will pass?

She also keeps asking me 'why did god give me AS?', she then goes on to say 'God chose me because i'm special'.

Obbessions are hard work at the best of times.. And you have my sympathy with thus one.

IME once ds2 has gathered all the information / collection he feels he needs he does move on to something else, with that just in the background.

I think the problem you may have is that this is a belief/ faith that ( I think) your dd is taking as fact and wants to gather information about it.. And it could be hard explaining about people thinking/ believing differently.

Not wanting to encourage it, but maybe have a look at lots of beliefs and religions as a whole... To try and bring a broader view..

Or maybe a social story might help.

Other than that I don't know what else you could do... But I'll passyou cake

As Arsenic says "obsessions" are usually a passing thing to be replaced by something else.
It is also the age when many children who perhaps don't usually live in a particularly religious house will come accross the bible & jesus etc.
Our family nicknamed ds1 (the nt one) "the reverand" at about the same age as he was very in to god.

Lots of sympathy on the obsessions they are tiresome sometimes. I have sometimes fed mine another one when one has become too much but usually they burn themselves out quickly and are replaced.
I send dd to a church playscheme not because I have any real faith but because they welcome her and she has fun. The religious bit seems to be lost on dd though as she came home with a worksheet complaining the leader (vicar) couldn't spell. Sure enough she had crossed out every mention of God and replaced it with dog

I have tried to explain the God is a little bit like a mythical creature (not sure if this is a great way to explain it), i told her i am happy for her to make the choice or weather she believes in God but there is a possibility that there is no god, i also told her that not every one believes in god (like mummy) and thats there choice.

I guess she is at the age where she believes everything she see's on the TV (that an adult shows her).

Lets hope it soon passes.

I much prefer her obsessions with maps and volcano's .

"I have tried to explain the God is a little bit like a mythical creature" Do you think that is an impartial explanation for her, Marne?

I have to declare my interests as a Christian here, but I think a 'mythical creature' is a tad disrespectful to Christians, and given that you are happy for her to make the choice whether she believes in God, you might have wanted to give her an even playing field.

Having said that, I suppose you could argue that the club she has been attending are presenting the 'for' and you are presenting the 'against'.

Either way, I hope it all calms down soon Obsessions aren't helpful, even if they are with really good things

Thanks Lou, its good to have a christian opinion, i guess a mythical creature was not the best thing to compare him too.

Dd1 goes to a christian school and i am happy for her to read stories from the bible etc.., we come from a christian family.

I found the church club a bit to overpowering, the video was maybe aimed at older children, to me it came across as they were saying 'be in jesus's family and he will forgive you for all the things you have done wrong', they also said things like 'jesus is always there for you'. The group did not really discus the 'for' and 'against' (just the for). I am happy for dd1 to know about God but i don't want it forced on her, i don't want her to think 'its ok to do things wrong as god will forgive her' (which is how a AS child may see it).

I hope i hav'nt offended you with 'mythical creatures' my brain is not functioning well as today has been very stressful for me. Maybe i could have explained it better?

No, no, no, Marne. Don't feel you've offended me I am tired too, and I couldn't think of a diplomatic way of saying it .

I think the key is that you are right about obsession. It would not do your DD1 well, even if she genuinely has come/comes to believe.

I personally think that being neutral will allow her to either lose interest, or allow her to explore her thoughts. Lots of 'hmmm, interesting'. Or 'really, that's nice...carrots for dinner?' My worry would be that if you let her know you are stressed about her new find, she will nose dive into full obsession, as all children tend to do

The likelihood is that this is an interesting, new, exciting concept. Given a few weeks it will all calm down and she will either believe or not. Or she may just move on and revisit it when she is older.

Neutral sounds good. It's what my parents did when I became very interested in Christianity around age 7.

As it so happens, I did end up becoming a Christian, but their levelheaded approach meant there was never any pressure on me either way (to leave it alone, or to throw myself at it out of defiance), and it's not something we have ever fallen out over.

Hi Marne, difficult one this. I am a Christian but recognise how difficult it is for kids on the spectrum to take i. All faiths are littered with examples of salvation through self denial or sacrifice. Some more extreme than other. The idea of a man dying to save us from our sins both past and present is apealing but to as kids living in a literal world it can be dangerous. Social stories can help (Google Carol Gray at the Gray Centre. Other less worrying stories carrying hidden messages might include, Father Christmas, the Sandman, Jack Frost. All of these stories carry meaning but are not real (I would steer clear of the tooth fairy!)and can have more than one meaning. Before such potentially dangerous material is shown to AS kids careful consideration needs to be given to how it may be interpreted literally. Particularly to those kids who have difficulty with empathy and imagination. I would include sex education programmes here too.

asdX2
Not helpful to the thread, but your DDs God dog correction made me laugh.
Am still chuckling

Just be pleased it is Christianity (at least only Jesus had to die that way). I went on a visit to a Hindu Temple, and the stories of Gurus leaving their homes at 11, not eating for 2 year etc., could be much more worrying if obsessed on by someone on the spectrum.

Bobbyla- the crusifiction of christ was the thing that worried me as dd1 really took it in. I think it would have been better if the taught the children about other stories from the bible (there are plenty of other stories that are just as interesting).

Mummytime- luckily she hasn't discovered Hinduism yet .

I can see why. I thought of you yesterday as I was working with a young Muslim boy with similar ideation's. I had visited the local Mosque to ask if it would be acceptable for a none muslim to support him during prayer. In this case I think I have found an ideal opportunity to motivate him in the everyday living skills he needs. I also visited the local Masada (Islamic school) to take a look at what they were teaching. In addition to recitations from the Koran in Arabic, they had short comic style books accompanying the Koran dealing with everyday living. Everything from how you wash to how you speak to your mother. There were mostly written in Urdu and are well illustrated and the Imam told me they concentrate on these aspects first, i.e., how to be a good Muslim before studying the religion in depth. What I haven't done yet is visit our local Christian book shops to see if they have something similar but it's on my to do list and I shall be talking to our schools and the Autism advisory service to help them integrate such material into the National Curricullum. Kind regards

I remember being the same as a child. It soon passed. I think I had just found out that people die. Then I found god it was like a get out of jail free card and really gave me comfort.

Another chritian here, be it a slightly different one
Obbessions are hard to bear some days, we are on nature and 4 leaf clovers right now
I would say the video sounds a bit much for a young group tbh. We have the bible stories book which we share with DDs, and we have videos about creation and how amazing it is. There is one that discusses creation vs evalution think its called amazing planet, which is a non religion one, but has amazing pictures on it.
I guess it depends on how you feel. We tend to let dd1 have her obessions and sometimes buy things that run along with it, to kinda steer it i guess.
I guess with the believing you can do anything wrong and he will forgive you is a hard one. Maybe try 10 commandments, they are pretty straight forward.
HTH