My son (10 yo) has a few very strong interests that he talks about pretty much nonstop. We haven’t discouraged any kind of talking because he was quite delayed. However it has come to my attention that his narrow focus on these topics can annoy his peers at school. I don’t want him to feel ashamed about his interests, but I also don’t want him to be ostracized at school. I’d really appreciate any thoughts this group may have on how to handle (or not) this situation. TIA!
You enjoy talking about X, and it makes you happy. It feels good to be with other people when you can talk about X. It would not feel good if everybody else just talk about Y and Z.
Other people like to talk about other things, and it makes them happy to talk about them with you. It makes them feel good around you and like to be with you.
Sometimes, remember to not only talk about X but spend some time asking what other people are interested in, and ask questions about it when they do talk.
This, paired with taking turns. It can be hard because people tend to overestimate the time spent listening and underestimate the time spent talking
Thank you!!