My firstborn has been through a lot of phases. Like most kids on the spectrum, when he likes something, it’s not just an interest, it’s an obsession.
Historically, we’ve “leaned in” and encouraged each of his unique, quirky curiosities, like when we strolled the Home Depot light section multiple times a week so he could look at all the lamps; or when we spent months finding and playing all the claw machines within a 10-mile radius; or when we went through reams and reams of paper drawing and designing elaborate water parks. The list goes on. His newest obsession, however, has proved a little more challenging for us: fire alarms.
Yes, our first grader can’t get enough of those beeping, flashing little red boxes on the walls. We’re not even sure how it started (most likely a fire drill at school?), but now our kid is basically an expert. He points out different brands/models wherever we go by day and watches various fire alarm testing demonstration videos on YouTube by night. Yay?
Aldrich’s 7-year-old checking out one of the fire alarms at The Discovery Center in Murfreesboro.
And it’s not just fire alarms, he loves testing smoke detectors (especially ours and his grandparents … ), tornado sirens, etc. As interests go, his mom and I both agree that this one is certainly … loud.
Has your kid ever had an obsession that’s been hard for you to jump on board with? Well, it may come as no surprise that a parent who invests in their child’s interests, however obscure, shows the child that they’re important and interesting to them — and that’s one of the best ways to build a relationship that lasts.
Even when it’s tough, being excited about your child’s interests means showing genuine enthusiasm, asking open-ended questions, providing resources, joining in the activity and celebrating their efforts. This builds confidence, deepens your bond and encourages a love for learning, even if their passion differs from yours. Supporting their journey helps them discover themselves, and turns everyday moments into learning opportunities.
So, where are we now with our son’s “alarming” hobby? Well, when we told him we couldn’t buy and hang any real fire alarms in the house, he settled for drawing his own life-sized versions (like … a lot of them), cutting them out and taping them onto the walls and ceilings all around our house. Now, he runs his “tests” each night, complete with his own personalized beeps and messages. He tells me all about them every night, and I listen. Every. Night.
Is it my favorite subject in the world? Of course not. But does your 7-year-old know how to properly mount, wire and disarm a Simplex horn/strobe fire alarm if the moment ever arises? Mine does.
Maybe this too shall pass. Maybe it’s just another phase. Or maybe he’ll grow up to be a firefighter or some sort of world-renowned fire alarm aficionado. Regardless, we’re leaning in, no matter how loud the beeps get.
