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Spider-Man-obsessed 6-year-old

Question:

Our 6-year-old son is obsessed with Spider-Man to the point that he thinks he is Spider-Man and only wants to play Spider-Man. This is affecting his friendships and his time at school. When he raises his hand, he wants his teacher to ask him if his question is Spiderman-related. Nine times out of 10 it is. Our son is not as happy as he once was. How do we tame his interest in Spider-Man to include other hobbies without breaking his heart by confiscating all of his Spider-Man toys?

Answer:

 

When your son’s interest in Spider-Man interferes with school and his daily schedule it is time to set limits. Talk to your son about how everyone has interests. If you are a golfer, you can’t talk about golf all the time, bring your clubs to work or practice your swing during business meetings. There is a time and a place for hobbies.  

The classroom is NOT the time and place for Spider-Man. Spidey can surface at recess. But even then, Spider-Man cannot be around all the time at recess; sometimes Peter Parker has to be the role he plays in order to live a more normal life. During school, your son needs to be “normal” and focused on school.  

Perhaps it would be helpful to introduce him to some other superheroes such as the Hulk or Superman since they have qualities a 6-year-old can admire. If you can, purchase plastic figures of these superheroes for each​ of his friends to use when they come over to play superheroes.