raspyaspy
n00b
The INTENSITY of certain interests of mine may change and cycle back, but I always go back to one or fondly nerd out over an old obsession if it comes up and lament if I don't get a chance to let out the burst of excitement I feel from the nostalgia. Cartoons a always stood out to me as a kid and adult, I would be really drawn to one in particular and watch it over and over again, draw it, play it in my head. I remember thinking around 7 years old on a car ride to the city that I wouldn't really mind dying if we got in a car wreck except that I'd never see new episodes of Ren and Stimpy; but then I thought, well, it wouldn't be HEAVEN if it didn't have cable with new episodes of R&S, so I was okay with it after all. I later got into Hey Arnold! Really hard and wrote fanfics, I obsessed over Animorphs harder than about anything before or since, books in general (but specific authors like Ring Lardner and Oscar Wilde hooked me), aliens in general, makeup and grooming, anime real hard and real long, right now sucked into WoW. I get very excited by reminders of any of these things.
I felt very shamed by my intense interest and often was embarrassed when they got brought up because I suspected people were annoyed by me or were making fun of it.
/me. My family didn't attempt to understand or engage with me or my interests so I felt more like an outsider weirdo. I still catch myself getting too caught up in an interest and realize I must be obnoxious so I turn off completely out of habit.
If your son changes interests, roll with it. Most people do, we go through phases in life, the difference is the intensity of those interests and how they are received by peers. Be supportive and learn what you can about whatever thing captures his interest at the time and you will keep him engaged and build trust.
I felt very shamed by my intense interest and often was embarrassed when they got brought up because I suspected people were annoyed by me or were making fun of it.
/me. My family didn't attempt to understand or engage with me or my interests so I felt more like an outsider weirdo. I still catch myself getting too caught up in an interest and realize I must be obnoxious so I turn off completely out of habit.
If your son changes interests, roll with it. Most people do, we go through phases in life, the difference is the intensity of those interests and how they are received by peers. Be supportive and learn what you can about whatever thing captures his interest at the time and you will keep him engaged and build trust.
