[roselee]

Just kidding!

What is it with Thomas the Train and little boys? My two year old is so hooked, he can't go anywhere without at least two. He actually "needs" to sleep with Percy and Thomas. If he doesn't cuddle with them then life will come to an end and we will hear about Percy and Thomas for hours. One night we couldn't find his trains and it was a VERY hard night that we had learned from. Now we always keep an eye on Percy and Thomas before bedtime!!

All it took was a few trips to Barnes and Nobles and he was hooked on trains. Most of the B and N we have gone to have Thomas the Trains set up. We got him a cheap train set at first and then when we passed by Thomas the Trains at Toys R us...he just wanted them all. We thought it was so cute (at first). We have a "few" now. His cousins who are a few months younger are now the same way. They also play with Thomas the Train for hours and take at least one train with them wherever they go.

It is cute, but it has gotten SO annoying at the same time. All he talks about is Thomas, Percy and trains in general. He went to the barber shop a few weeks ago and he wanted a "choo choo train hair cut." Yep, everything seems related to trains..although last night, he asked to sleep with one of his cars along with his trains. Hummm? In a few months, will his bed be filled with choo choo's and cars??? Perhaps we should add a plane in the mix.

So, have any of you experienced this "Thomas the Train" phenomenom (sp?). If so, share your experiences..I would love to hear them!!

[DPline]

Oh my goodness, yes! It started with a nice little circle of track and Thomas, and, now, 6 years later, it has taken over my house. We often have a track setup running from room to room around the first floor. And I would be embarassed to admit how many engines and cars we have. We joke that we really should raise our homeowners insurance because the cost of replacing the Thomas paraphanalia would probably be as much as the rest of the contents, should anything ever happen to our house. And all that is without mentioning the Thomas bed that my stepfather made for my older son and is now used by my younger son.

Debbie (Mom of two cult members! )

[taramayrn]

Yep my birthson is obsessed with Thomas the Train and trains in general. Now mind you it doesn't help that his name is Thomas so he got Thomas the Train stuff as gifts since he was very young.

[GCS]

my girlie loves it too! Sophia just turned 2 and has been a Thomas fan for a good 6 months. And its not because of her older brother - he never really cared about Thomas.

Christina

[emjay]

Yes, it happens with girls, too! DD is now 5 and was OBSESSED with Thomas from ages 1-3.5 or so. She still has a few favorites that she likes, and plays with occasionally, but not like when she was younger. She is way into trains in general, though, as it's a favored interest of my husband's.

DS is 21 months old, and entering Thomas obsession-ville. His favorite toys were his cars, but now he alternates between them and his favorite train of the day. Currently needs to have Toby and Harold close by! His room has a train theme and he loves it.

By the way, there is an event called "Day out with Thomas" - a "real" Thomas engine leads a train that you can ride on (some are actual steam engines, some just for looks that are pushed) . A real train, not a kiddie train. The events take place at railroad museums and locations around the country, with other Thomas-related activities, and of course the Thomas retail shop . We started taking DD when she was 2 and she LOVED it. We're planning on going in the fall and taking DS for the first time. Google it to find out more.

[roselee]

I guess I was a bit sterotypical in my first posting. I should have said, "toddler cult" and left out "boy."

I have also heard of the "Day out with Thomas." I was told that it is a lot of fun for the kids and parents. My thinking is "Would I be making my son even more obsessed by going?" Then another part of me says, "That would not be possible because he is already so obsessed, it couldn't get worse."

Having a son named Thomas would make it even more difficult; I can't imagine.

Dpline: Oh my, I can already see our house looking like yours in a few years. I can see a house where we would barely be able to walk because Thomas has taken over our dwelling.

We went to ToysRus the other day, and "N" saw a Thomas the Train Bed. It was so hard to get him to stop looking at the bed and yelling, "My bed." That episode lasted quite a while. I usually don't give in to his tantrums, but I ended up purchasing another little train to get him away from the bed.

[Merrill]

Oh yes...My daughter (3.5) LOVES Thomas. It's a toss up between Thomas and princesses at my house. And at times, they go together.

Just did "Day out with Thomas" two weeks ago and she loved it. I have to admit that Thomas was a beautiful engine--so shiny and blue. But of course, he is the "number 1 engine"...

[emjay]

We did debate about going to the Day Out with Thomas the first time, for the same reason - were we feeding an already overfed obsession?!! It ended up being a great time for all of us, and for DD, it was a day of pure magic. Didn't make the obsession worse, and we were heros for bringing her to see her #1 engine in person! (yes Merrill, he is a lovely blue!)

[DPline]

Originally Posted by roselee

Dpline: Oh my, I can already see our house looking like yours in a few years. I can see a house where we would barely be able to walk because Thomas has taken over our dwelling.

Oh, just you wait! Your day will come!

I can say that when my older son started getting interested in things like Power Rangers, Yu-gi-oh, Spongebob, etc. (Who thinks of this stuff? Blah!) I really missed the Thomas obsession days. Luckly with two little ones now, he has returned to it. At least to build huge "set ups" for my younger two.

Definetly don't miss the Day Out With Thomas if you have a chance. Very fun! When we lived in England they had Day Out with Thomas events that had all different engines, not just Thomas. So cool.

Here is the Thomas bed my stepfather made for my son. For several years my son tried to talk him into making Annie and Clarabel too!

[roselee]

Wow, your step father did such a wonderful job on the bed. My son would go absolutely nuts, seriously. HA, if we had a bed like that, we probably wouldn't have to fight bed time anymore.

Also, I guess when I think of what the older boys are into, Thomas the Train really isn't that bad... Thanks for that comment!! I should try to "embrace" the Thomas the Train days...even when the track does go around our house and I stub my toe every morning!

I am glad to know the obsession doesn't seem to get worse by going to Thomas the Train day. We wouldn't mind being "heros" for the day. If Nathan saw Percy, he would absolutely flip. He would probably just stay by Percy's side for hours. For some reason, Percy is his absolute favorite even before he had Percy...strange.

Thanks for sharing the picture!!

[Leigh131313]

Awesome bed!!

Ds adores Thomas as well. Percy and Toby are the loves of his life. lol

Don't you just love little boy things? Such new territory for me, i was a total dolly- loving girl.

I love little boys

[emjay]

DPline - that has got to be the most amazing child's bed I've ever seen. Either one of my kids would swoon over it.

And roselee - sadly, Thomas is the only "live sized" engine at the Day Out events in the U.S. But Sir Topham Hatt is there, too. And there are plenty of Percy sitings in the temporary tattoos, shop, signage, play area and videos they have running.