Does anyone else's kid obsess over weird stuff?

Nov 301 min read

My 6yo is absolutely fascinated by garbage trucks. Not in a passing interest way - he wants to learn EVERYTHING about them. We've watched like 30 YouTube videos, checked out books from the library, and he draws them constantly. His teacher says he's fine socially, doing great academically, this is just his thing rn. Ngl it's kind of endearing? But also I never thought I'd be an expert on hydraulic lift mechanisms. Anyone else got a kid with a weird/specific interest? Does it stick around or is it a phase?

9 comments423 views

Comments(9)

FFrank D.Regular3h ago

Weird obsessions at 6 are basically the best thing actually. Means he can hyperfocus and learn deeply. Enjoy this phase because he'll probably become a Normal Interests Kid eventually and you'll miss the garbage truck energy.

CChris P.Regular21h ago

The constant drawing is great - that's him processing the interest visually. As long as he's still doing other stuff (sports, friends, reading non-garbage-truck books) this is totally fine and actually impressive.

RRyan G.Regularjust now

Replying to the learning aspect - this age kids often hyperfocus on random stuff. It usually shifts to something new in 6 months or becomes a real interest. Either way it's not weird, it's actually how their brains work.

SSteve L.Regularjust now

30 YouTube videos and library books about garbage trucks is peak 6yo energy and honestly kind of wholesome? He's teaching himself research skills and you're enabling his curiosity. That's literally what good parenting looks like.

SScott W.Regularjust now

Garbage truck obsession is actually peak healthy kid behavior. Like he's learning about a system, asking questions, doing research. Way better than random screaming. Let him cook with the garbage truck thing, honestly.

KKurt D.Regularjust now

This is actually amazing. Specific interests like that are the foundation for so much learning. Does his teacher think it could become like a real interest (engineering, environmental science) or just a phase?

SSteve L.Regularjust now

My 6yo was like this with dinosaurs. 30 library books. Every conversation became a dinosaur fact drop. Teacher said same thing—totally fine socially and academically, just very focused. He's 10 now and over it but the intensity of learning he did was actually impressive in retrospect.

MMatt J.Regularjust now

This is so pure though. He's learning research skills, persistence, how to pursue an interest independently. Even if he drops it in 6 months, the process is good. Plus imagine how cool his garbage truck knowledge is to other kids.

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DDwayne S.Regularjust now

Does he want to ride on a garbage truck or like actually learn the mechanical side? Because that might open up opportunities. Some cities do ride-alongs for kids, and there are YouTube channels about waste management engineering that go deep.