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Autistic son obsessed with anime character Sakura haruno

NAS67860

So recently my eldest son has been interested in anime including naruto and my hero academia. He had recently become obsessed with the naruto character Sakura Haruno. He's been watching videos and cosplays of her online, searching things up about her and keeps talking about her to me. He now also wants to cosplay as her. 

Does anybody know how to tell him to calm down about his obsession without offending him.

  • Hi, I can understand your wanting to direct his attention to preparing for changes in his life. What I've found with my own fixations is that following them is the right path for me rather than resisting them, but also being careful about not letting them interfere with day-to-day living. Once I reach the 'end' of a fixation it's because I've found the information that something in me was looking for. For instance, maybe your son is drawn to Sakura Haruno because something about their character has gripped his attention and he's trying to understand it, like their abilities or personality traits. It could be good to put limits around the time spent on it but maybe ask some exploring questions to help him to get to the bottom of it, which might help to move through it in a shorter time.

  • in reply to Cassandro

    I agree.  A lot of the autonomous-home-education books talk about this - just for kids in general, not particularly in connection with autism - if they're interested in something see how much education you can get out of that since they'll be happy to do things if it involves that.  It seems to work pretty well.

  • in reply to NAS67860

    In general, strong interests should be seen as a learning opportunity. Going deeper into most subjects and really understanding all its aspects can lead to developing all kinds of skills, artistic, social or otherwise. Hence people ending up with PhDs in Buffy.

  • in reply to MDC

    Thanks and not really it makes him happy then I allow him to dress up as the  character she isn't very feminine.

  • Shock, Horror! 

    An autistic kid being made to feel bad about his obsession. 

    Definitely ban him from Anime - it may make him normal! 

  • Random idea not based on any experience, but have you thought of trying to get him interested in doing other things with this?  At the moment he's got all this enthusiasm but not much of a use or outlet for this besides watching videos and talking, which isn't what you'd call a very nutritious way to spend your time.  Like he could try drawing her and other Naruto scenes and characters.  If he throws himself into that with as much enthusiasm as he's showing for talking and watching videos, he might be quite a decent cartoonist by the time he loses interest in Naruto and moves on to the next thing, which can't be a bad thing.  And while he's drawing he wouldn't be bending your ear about it  :-D

  • These obsessions tend to get traded in after a while for new obsessions. 

    Special interests is kind of inherent to autism, it can sometimes make or break the succes in a job. If you have most social traits against you, but you excel in knowledge and work-ethics, you might keep a job. 

    Does it worry you that as a  boy he wants to dress up like a girl? 

  • No, lol. My daughter is obsessed with characters, Me talking about this makes things worse. Sorry not being of much help.