My DS is the most independent thinker I know
I recall a day when we had friends over - he was about 4 yrs old - and the other 5 kids played in a group while DS pushed his bubble mower around the yard by himself. From very, very early on he had an obsession with figuring out how things work. While other 1 & 2 year olds would play with toys, he'd try and take them apart and "test" them.
At school he was initially very independent as well, choosing to follow his interests rather than peers. He was even the subject of a story in the school newsletter about leadership - the principal wrote about how he was engaged in a solo activity at recess and other kids decided to follow him and join in.
Now he's 10 and has come out of his shell and is very social, but for awhile was so independent at school that the staff though he had autism.
FWIW I was always the same way. Outside of school I was more engaged with others, but at school I became more socially withdrawn.
As for long term obsessions... has anyone heard of Thomas the Tank Engine? Holy smokes. He lived and breathed Thomas from about 3-6 yrs old (or thereabouts - I can't recall exactly, other than to say he's long since outgrown it).
