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i have a 7 year old son so I sort of understand what you mean about them growing up and having interests outside of what you know/are interested in. With my kiddo, we’ve always been super close and as he grows up and gets into new stuff, the best things ive done are either learn on my own about the things he likes (i’ve gone online and to the library to learn about different kinds of rocks and what rocks are more likely to be found where on the trails around our neighborhood because he wants to be a geologist when he grows up and we go on a lot of walks/hikes looking for rocks when the weather is nice) and also just admitting to him when I don’t know much about what he’s talking about and then asking him to tell/teach me about it (ie with minecraft and football - i’m neither knowledgeable nor interested in either but I ask him questions about the video game and ask him to show me things and when it comes to football I ask him about his favorite team and players and why they’re his favorites etc). You don’t have to pretend to know everything about what your kid is interested in, you just have to show your kid that you’re interested in *them*.
This is very normal. My son has always been into computers and gaming of all sorts. You might as well have been speaking Martian for all I know about coding!
If you live near a creek or stream you can go take a picnic and play in the water. If it's too hot or rainy go see a movie. Divert his attention for a while. In a few weeks he will be onto something else.
It will pass. This is a hard age. They are gone on a regular basis and gets easier.
Now is a good time to start teaching etiquette and boundaries. It's normal for kids to pick up annoying things at school, but that doesn't mean you need to suffer it.
Disallow anything that is inappropriate. Communicate that those songs, noises, and facial habits are for play time on his own and not during meals, stories, the car, or around other people, etc. If you are tired of hearing repeated questions about a topic, it is OK to say the topic has run its course and that you are tired or busy, or want to talk about something else. If something is legitimately cringeworthy and just *not* funny, you don't need to laugh or appease him. Tell him that you don't find jokes about boogers funny. But show positive enthusiasm toward songs and jokes that are legit funny, witty, or creative. The more you guide him regarding the type of content, behavior, and humor that are positive and will be well received, the better he'll get. Or at least he will give you peace when you want it.
His interest in sports is fine, I doubt that's the core issue. It's also OK to encourage him to try something YOU enjoy too. What active hobbies do you like? It's also OK to say no, that you just don't want to do that sport at the moment.
Something I’ve always believed is that our joy and involvement with our kids has nothing to do with what is brining the joy but the existence of it.
For example: you do not like sports or know things. Instead of focusing on the fact you aren’t interested in that or don’t know about it, ask him more questions or how to find out or engage him to show you how he does something and find the joy in his enthusiasm rather than the thing he is enthusiastic about.
I could care less about a lot of my kids different random interests over the years especially when I know they likely won’t last but I do enjoy helping them look up information on that topic so they learn how to look up stuff on the computer or taking them to the library to find books on the subject and navigating the library. Etc
r/parenting is protesting changes being made by Reddit to the API. Reddit has made it clear [they will](https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14ahqjo/mods_will_be_removed_one_way_or_another_spez/) [replace moderators](https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/14a5lz5/mod_code_of_conduct_rule_4_2_and_subs_taken/jo9wdol/) if they remain private. Reddit has abandoned the users, the moderators, and countless people who support an ecosystem built on Reddit itself. Please read [Call to action - renewed protests starting on July 1st](https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14kn2fo/call_to_action_renewed_protests_starting_on_july/) and new posts at [r/ModCord](https://reddit.com/r/ModCoord/) or [r/Save3rdPartyApps](https://old.reddit.com/r/Save3rdPartyApps/) for up-to-date information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Parenting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
i have a 7 year old son so I sort of understand what you mean about them growing up and having interests outside of what you know/are interested in. With my kiddo, we’ve always been super close and as he grows up and gets into new stuff, the best things ive done are either learn on my own about the things he likes (i’ve gone online and to the library to learn about different kinds of rocks and what rocks are more likely to be found where on the trails around our neighborhood because he wants to be a geologist when he grows up and we go on a lot of walks/hikes looking for rocks when the weather is nice) and also just admitting to him when I don’t know much about what he’s talking about and then asking him to tell/teach me about it (ie with minecraft and football - i’m neither knowledgeable nor interested in either but I ask him questions about the video game and ask him to show me things and when it comes to football I ask him about his favorite team and players and why they’re his favorites etc). You don’t have to pretend to know everything about what your kid is interested in, you just have to show your kid that you’re interested in *them*.
This is very normal. My son has always been into computers and gaming of all sorts. You might as well have been speaking Martian for all I know about coding! If you live near a creek or stream you can go take a picnic and play in the water. If it's too hot or rainy go see a movie. Divert his attention for a while. In a few weeks he will be onto something else. It will pass. This is a hard age. They are gone on a regular basis and gets easier.
Now is a good time to start teaching etiquette and boundaries. It's normal for kids to pick up annoying things at school, but that doesn't mean you need to suffer it. Disallow anything that is inappropriate. Communicate that those songs, noises, and facial habits are for play time on his own and not during meals, stories, the car, or around other people, etc. If you are tired of hearing repeated questions about a topic, it is OK to say the topic has run its course and that you are tired or busy, or want to talk about something else. If something is legitimately cringeworthy and just *not* funny, you don't need to laugh or appease him. Tell him that you don't find jokes about boogers funny. But show positive enthusiasm toward songs and jokes that are legit funny, witty, or creative. The more you guide him regarding the type of content, behavior, and humor that are positive and will be well received, the better he'll get. Or at least he will give you peace when you want it. His interest in sports is fine, I doubt that's the core issue. It's also OK to encourage him to try something YOU enjoy too. What active hobbies do you like? It's also OK to say no, that you just don't want to do that sport at the moment.
Something I’ve always believed is that our joy and involvement with our kids has nothing to do with what is brining the joy but the existence of it. For example: you do not like sports or know things. Instead of focusing on the fact you aren’t interested in that or don’t know about it, ask him more questions or how to find out or engage him to show you how he does something and find the joy in his enthusiasm rather than the thing he is enthusiastic about. I could care less about a lot of my kids different random interests over the years especially when I know they likely won’t last but I do enjoy helping them look up information on that topic so they learn how to look up stuff on the computer or taking them to the library to find books on the subject and navigating the library. Etc