Is it normal that my 4 year old wont stop wearing a superman costume? And, kill himself if he had to stop?

Question

My 4 year old will not leave the house unless he is wearing his Superman costume. He told my wife tonight that if he does he will have to kill his "real self" - he said "kill the real Eddie". Obviously, he is afraid of something, and, has developed an attachment to this costume. But, kill himself?! This last comment has us very, very concerned. We are happily married (no upsetment for him there), my wife is a stay at home Mom, and, he seems like a happy kid (with the exception of this last comment). Any insight is much appreciated. We are going to begin to look into talking with a child psychologist, and, have him tested. But, any insight out there is much appreciated.

Answer 1

My son is 2 1/2 and for the last 8 months he has been OBSESSED with superman and spiderman. He wears the costumes and watched the movies (not cartoons) ALL the time. Fortunately he has just become obsessed with Trains and watched Thomas and the Polar Express. It is a nice change from superheroes since I have gotten so tired of watching them over and over. I think it is totally normal and his comment was probably just something he overheard (or is thinking of Clark Kent, maybe he watched the movie where Superman was fighting himself?)

I would not be too concerned, it is normal for children to become obsessed and there are worse things than superman for them to be attached to. My son would sleep in his costumes and would not take off his superman pajamas for days and days so we had a couple pair so I could at least wash them.

Answer 2

Okay, your kid doesn't have a 'psychological problem' and you don't need to take him to see a 'child psychologist' or therapist. Your son is 'manipulating you' to get more attention ... and the easiest way to 'stop this' is to be SURE (both you and your wife must do this) that he ALWAYS HAS HIS COSTUME ON ... and that means that he must 'stand right by the washer and dryer NAKED when it's being washed, and must put it on IMMEDIATELY ... and you must also 'check everywhere' to be sure it's 'safe' for him to pull his pants down when he goes to the bathroom, and to 'be sure to tell EVERYONE that your son is 'really Superman in disguise' as a little boy, and 'no one is to every mention the costume in front of him' as being a 'costume.' Your son will very quickly grow tired of his 'game' since it will have 'blown up in his face' ... and one day soon, you'll see him being 'just Eddie' again, and being quite happy with just that.

Answer 3

If you and your wife are that worried about it , then it is a good idea to seed professional advice. My grandson was the same way but it was with his cowboy out fit and he would not take it off my daughter had a hard time getting it washed without him throwing a fit. He eventually got over it, he is six years old now and that was about 2 years ago. Kids hear so much and they watch for reactions from people and use it for their advantage sometimes but I personally take everything seriously that a child says because my cousin killed himself and I didn't think he would actually do something like that he was 27 though but still you never know anymore. GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILY!!!!

Answer 4

Believe it or not, he sounds like a normal kid!

I wore a Snow White costume non-stop from the day I received the costume as a gift when I turned three to the day I went to kindergarten at age five. My parents were also very concerned - I wouldn't even answer to my own name. They thought I had multiple personality disorder.

His comment probably didn't mean anything - Eddie/Superman probably picked it up from another kid or from TV. At that age, kids can't be much of a danger to themselves. Even if Eddie/Superman is strong enough to cause damage to himself, when it comes down to it, he will probably be afraid.

Of course, this is YOUR child and you know him best. You'll figure it out!

Answer 5

It seems like he's going through a phase, I know a lot of kids who get really attached to something, whether it be a superhero, or Dora the Explorer. The killing himself comment might be something to worry about, but I'm guessing that he probably heard that from another kid or TV or something. A 4-year-old most likely wouldn't come up with that himself.

Answer 6

The wearing a costume phase is quite normal.
When my dauhgter was 4 she was in love with the Harry Potter movies. She had a black dress that reminded her of Hermoine. So she wore that forever, She would only take it off to have a bath and put clean clothes on underneath. I'd have to wash it while she slept, if I could manage to get her to not sleep in it for one night.
I swear her preschool thought I didnt have any clothes for her as that was all tey ever saw her in. It was horrible for me as it was the height of summer and most days were 35-40 degree's celcius. And she was wearing normal clothes underneath and this hot black winter dress over the top. Her face would go red from the heat and I was always making her drink water so she dehydrate. After a month or two she finally stopped wearing it. I got her some new clothes that she wanted to show off. So she couldntwear ther dress anymore.
My friends son at the same age got a spiderman pj's that he loved. And he wouldnt take them off either. He also used this threat after she had taken them away to wash them when he was in the bath. He didnt hurt himself, I dont even think he knew what he was actually saying. But he had heard it somewhere and knew it would make his Mum think twice before taking his precious spiderman pj's away again.
And his cousin got superman ones that he refused to take off. It lasted a few months with them as well.

With him threatening to kill himself, I really do think its something he heard from somewhere. And knows it as a threat and so used it. Does he actually understand what he said? I'm sure he is fine and it is just a normal phase.

Answer 7

I'd be concerned, too, but kids can be very imaginative. I would gently question him "why" would he have to kill himself if he took off his costume. You never know, maybe he heard it on a superman show. then explain to him that you dearly love him (the real eddie) and never would trade him for anything, even superman.

Answer 8

that's fairly unhappy and disgusting how this variety of crime is going unpunished,if the driving force had owed money to three government branch he could have been jailed, yet for taking the life of a 4 3 hundred and sixty 5 days old he walks loose...the regulation of the land desires to alter quicker fairly than later there are too a lot of those scum baggage getting away with homicide...you need to ask your self whether it have been a politicians son that he killed could the consequence have been a similar

Answer 9

This sounds like obsessive-compulsive disorder. I have a son with similar problems. I would suggest consulting the pediatrician about that. Look for any other tendencies to be obsessive. Does he feel a need to put his socks on a certain way... or is he very picky about certain foods, etc? When a child, or any person, becomes that upset over such a small thing, it is an obsession. Report any and all of this to the pediatrician, and you should be able to get some constructive guidance on how to handle this child. It won't necessarily get better as he gets older.

Answer 10

It sounds like to me that he might have just picked it up somewhere alot of kids develop attachments to certain things and maybe he heard what he said on TV or from another kid? Or he is verry imaginative. I wouldnt worry about it but i dont think it would hurt to talk to his dr. if he starts doing anything else very out of the ordinary