What do your parents think of your hobby?

[txteach]

My dad thinks it is odd and we really don't talk much about it. While in college my wife and I did a lot of toy shows selling so he kinda understands. My mom could really care less. All we really talk about is work or my daughter. My parents live across the country from me so it's hard for them to concieve of what I collect. My brother Jim loves it. He remembers us beating the crap out of our megos when we were kids and can't believe I found carded versions of what we had. I used to be a big sports card collector so they think I need a new hobby when I gave up the old one.

[EMCE Hammer]

Don't get it really. They probably still think they did me a favor when they let me sell all my stuff in a yard sale when I was a kid.

[Earth 2 Chris]

My Mother was real understanding and supportive of my hobby, and added a lot of pieces to it. Since she passed away my Dad hasn't been too bad about it. He is remotely interested in Super Heroes (he'll watch the movies if I give him an opportunity to), so he's fairly understanding. He ocassionally asks me "Why don't you sell all that stuff?" I throw it back at him and ask him why he needs 7 guitars. My dad will admit that comics and toys kept me out of trouble as a teenager. When I could have been out drinking or doing drugs, I was out scouting TRUs and Wal-marts for new BTAS figures.

My mother-in-law doesn't get it at all. I think she believes I corrupted her daughter by bringing her into TRU so much, and getting her into Barbies.

Chris

[saildog]

I didn't know what my Dad thought at first, but he is one of those guy's (and I'm the same way) who appreciates when someone demonstrates skill. So, when he realized I was buying stuff that appeared to be beat up and making it look close to new (or far better than it did), he expressed an interest. He really thought it was cool when the de-graying process worked on my Zombie Mr. Fantastic. In short, I think he understands and appreciates the restoration aspect of the hobby, beyond that, he hasn't said much.

My Mom gets a kick out of it, though. She remembers how much I loved my Mego's as a kid.

[MegoScott]

My Dad never liked my Megos as I remember it, but he's ironically very supportive of it now. He's a gun collector, he gets it and he admires what I've done with it on the web. On the other hand, my mom was real sweet about it when I was a kid, but she's not real enthused about it now. It fits into her general judgement that I should grow up and be more responsible. *SIGH* Woe is me. If only I could be rich and famous as a result of the Mego Museum then I'd have my Momma's respect! :cry::smiley1:

[toys2cool]

Well I got into it cause of my mom really,she started collecting dolls when I was about 7 or 8 so when ever she bought a doll I got a figure :biggrin: she loved when I collected the 12' vintage Joes those were her favorite ones.We had to sell most of her stuff but she still collects a little,she just can't understand when I spend more then $100 on a figure and the $500 for the Warrior singlet killed her :biggrin:

But she's always been cool about it,my wife collects Barbies so she gets it

[Meule]

My parents don't really get it, they probably think I'm nuts :smiley1:
My girlfriend's mom is probably more understanding, she called me last week from a flea market where she had seen some Batman toys. She called to see if I already had 'em and if I was interested. :grin:

[Surfsup]

They didn't know what to think at first but they're behind it now, as is my girlfriend, which is cool! My dad takes the blame as he used to bring me and my brother various toys home every Saturday afternoon. This was to keep us both quiet and out of trouble, little did he know what it would spawn :).

[xNo7ucK]

My Mom thinks my collection is great she buys me collectibles for my birthday and Christmas if she is talking to somebody and they even say anything about toys or collecting she says my son is really in to that. I don't have a drivers license (I ride a bike) so sometimes she will drive me to shows,My Mom is cool. and the rest of my family like to look at the stuff when they come over.

[kingdom warrior]

My Mom was a Big Barbie Collector so my sister and I and my dad were use to it...My Dad Likes my collection and the Fact that I kept adding Barbies to my Moms collection after she passed....My Daughter will inherit all of my Moms Barbies as she gets older. My Dad never gave me flack about it. He's a HUGE Munsters Fan and He Looooved the CTVT Munster figures.I got him the whole set which he proudly displays in his home.

[HardyGirl]

Well, basically, my mom thinks I'm NUTS! But she does like looking at what I get from Ebay. Sometimes, she teases me saying that she can sense a presence from my toy room, like my toys are talking to each other! :smiley1: But my mom and I rent my brother's old house and he's cool about it I guess, even if he doesn't understand, b/c he gave notice to the people who used to occupy this house, so he pretty much gave me 2 bedrooms, one for me and one for my toys! He helped me get a shelving unit from someone he knows who was getting rid of it, for my toy room. My family basically thinks I'm an overgrown kid, and they leave it at that.:biggrin:

[toys2cool]

Well, basically, my mom thinks I'm NUTS! But she does like looking at what I get from Ebay. Sometimes, she teases me saying that she can sense a presence from my toy room, like my toys are talking to each other! :smiley1: But my mom and I rent my brother's old house and he's cool about it I guess, even if he doesn't understand, b/c he gave notice to the people who used to occupy this house, so he pretty much gave me 2 bedrooms, one for me and one for my toys! He helped me get a shelving unit from someone he knows who was getting rid of it, for my toy room. My family basically thinks I'm an overgrown kid, and they leave it at that.:biggrin:

Hey HG have you ever posted pics of your collection? I would love to see how you have it all set up:biggrin:

[jwyblejr]

My mom's more into it than my dad. If it's not something he's into,he pretty much couldn't care less about it.

[RussG]

Well, do to health issues my dad has had the last couple years I moved back in with my parents to help them out and to help take care of 2 out of my 4 nieces. So both of my parents have to put up with my hobby first hand.

My dad thinks I'm a nut, but is cool with it. Whenever I get a new item and I catch him looking at me funny, I put the toy in front of him and ask him if he wants to play with me lol ... oh man does that get him every time lol :D He does finds the Megos to be a little more normal than Star Wars collecting. But out of all the lines I collect he likes the GI Joe RAH stuff.

My mom loves it and even started to collect Hot Wheels in the 90's. She looks at yard sales and flea markets for me all the time.

I'm single so I have no in-laws ... I'm sure the fact I now live with mommy and daddy isn't helping my social life much

[Comic Book Geek]

My mom died when I was a teenager, but she would have at least been humored by it. My dad knows nothing about it. He lives about 15 minutes away and has never visited my house so I'm not sure he knows. Funny that we're all grown men, but don't we all still want our dad's apporval?

[toys2cool]

But out of all the lines I collect he likes the GI Joe RAH stuff.



That's a smart man,I can't blame him.The RAH stuff rocks!!:biggrin:

[cjefferys]

Although my father has no interest in the toys themselves, he does understand the collector mentality (he collects and sells antique furniture and lamps). My mother used to collect Snow White stuff, so I guess she understands too. I have to admit that it's easier now that toy collecting is more mainstream. In the mid to late 1980's, when I was a teenager, they seemed worried about me "wasting money" on a bunch of toys. I remember my father thinking I was absolutely nuts when I spent $500 on a big Captain Action lot that I planned to piece out and sell. A few months later, when I told him that I more than doubled my money on them, he said "OK, I'll never question your buying decisions regarding toys again". :smiley1:

[steelcouch]

My mom blames herself for making me sell all of my toys when I turned 13. Basically thinks Im nuts and doesnt get it. My dad could care less except when I spend $100 and over on a figure then I get his comments and criticism. My wife is cool with it and thats all I need. I married the perfect woman that indeed is my soul mate. She gets me!

[Marvelmania]

My mom thinks it's a phase I'm going through because I've collected one thing or another since I was a kid.

[mitchedwards]

My folks have always collected something. As a kid I went to countless auctions and fleamarkets on a quest for their collections. So I came by it naturally.

My folks like my collection and like to see how its grown since their last visit.

[Goblin19]

Neither really care too much. My mom thinks some of the customs are pretty cool, though.

[HardyGirl]

Hey HG have you ever posted pics of your collection? I would love to see how you have it all set up:biggrin:


No, I haven't. (when I finally do, I'll need help b/c this blasted forum doesn't like me! :no:) But my toyroom is only 3/4 done. We've lived in this house since last October. My mom is disabled, so I've basically had to do all the unpacking myself. My toyroom was (and still is) being used for storage, and when we first moved in here it was literally floor to ceiling w/ boxes w/ a walking aisle in the middle. There are still about 20 boxes left. I have to feel really motivated to work on it, since I have to keep up this big house all by myself and work too. I think I've done pretty good so far, and maybe on our year anniversary, (October) I'll finally be finished. I don't have a digital camera, or a cell phone, so I will eventually take some pics, send them to Brian, and ask him to help me post them.:grin:

[batmanmc]

my parents dont get it.

[highquality]

Mom: Lifelong collector and seller of pop culture, antiques, art, pottery and whatever else she can get her hands on. She most definitely encourages my hobby and greatly appreciates every new find I have. My collector gene came directly from her.

Dad: He likes when I make money on them. Otherwise, it's not really his bag. He's big into hunting, fishing and golf.

[z3zep]

My dad passed away when I was young, but my mom is pretty supportive of my collecting. She does think I am a bit crazy, but then I will say oh I want to buy a POTA Jail for my figures and I show it to her on e-bay and she say oh yes you have to have the Jail! :) She is always asking if I am bidding on anything.

My sister thinks it is cool, she collects barbies. She was the one that saved my original Megos. :biggrin: My 2 brothers think I am nuts. They just look at my collection and say -- how much money have you spent!!??? :cry:

[Hulk]

My Dad doesn't get the collecting, but he gets the business of it. It's wierd (and unfortunate) how many people accept my hobby only because they see the financial side of it (as long as I'm in the Black).

I truly regret my Mom isn't alive to see my collection. I know that she would be truly happy to see how much it means to me, and how my constant nagging for more figures has manifested itself. I think knowing that in my heart has helped me justify it all, and is part of the joy I feel when I get or create a new figure.

When doing a new custom, I often reflect back to elementary school, and her bringing home a supply of plaster of paris bandages. We created a King Tut mummy (out of an old Spock figure), with multiple nested coffins made out of posterboard for school history project. Good times.

[HermitBoy]

My mom is the one that started my habit. As a kid she would buy me Superman toys all of the time, and one year for Christmas I got the complete Mego's heroes set along with the carrying case for them. I mostly collect Superman Stuff and just started collecting the Different Megos. My Computer Den at my house has shelfs full and the walls are all full as well. It drives my wife nuts and To quote my best friend "It looks like some one spewed Superman all over the place" Both of my parents Collect something or another My mom Collects Barbie and Betty Boop She also has a big collection of old Dresden porcelain statuettes. My Dad collects old VW Bug stuff. So they are both cool with it. Heck most of my Superman stuff is from my Parents buying it for me. Almost every time that I go visit they have something new for me. My older Brother Thinks it is cool Also. When he and his Family are home on Leave he likes to check out the new stuff that I got. But then again he Collects Star Wars stuff. Heck he would have had all of the figures if it wasn't for our mom letting me play with them outside as a kid. :grin:

Michael.

[Bizarro Amy]

My mom knows better than to criticize what I spend on my toy collection, because she has her own obsessions that take up her time and money. I think my dad is mildy amused by some of the old campy stuff I get, especially since he remembers the old Batman TV show. They both kind of understand the Megos, because they do a little bit of antiquing. I think they both like the customizing, because they also like to do artsy crafty stuff. In fact, when I still lived with my parents, they allowed me to take over the entire workbench area in the basement for my customizing, including the paints and often-messy chemicals I used.

[VintageMike]

Kind of two sides.
Like Russ I moved back in with parents since it was beneficial to both of us. My parents are getting older and with me being an only child they really need my help with chores, etc. On my side, there's no way to live comfortably alone (no roommate/girlfriend/wife) on my salary in the area I live in. My parents understand the nostalgia and appreciate the fact it makes me happy. On the flip side my dad cringes at the throught of "another collection" and me getting more stuff. I think he's been impressed though at how I've gotten more out the space I have to use and how well I take of my Megos. The negative side with my Mom is she sometimes frowns on the money aspect. That usually that dies out when mention two things. First as long as I given her my rent every month it's really not her concern and second she doesn't have to live off what she makes. If needs more money she can get it from my Dad. It's not the ideal situation but neither is struggling, renting an apartment and then basically having little time to enjoy it since I've be coming home every Sunday to help out with various things.

[batmanmc]

cool stories. my brother accepts and likesthe idea of me collecting as he collects even more then me. mike

[palitoy]

Neither of my folks get me, my dad was supportive of my toy dealing when i was young. Taking me to the warehouses, helping me at toy shows but he never got the whole collecting thing in any way.

My mother is a classic "thrower awayer" I'm not surprised she doesn't get collecting.

My sister took her hobby and made it her job, it's much more expensive and time consuming but it's more mainstream than mine, so they brag about hers to friends. Oddly, none of that bothers me.

[Mikey]

My old man died when I was 5, so he's out of this survey totally...

My mom (she's gone now too) used to refer to my Mego collecting as "Michael collecting his little men"

To this day, i'm not exactly sure how to take that --- but knowing my Ma, it was probably not exactly a complimentary statement :smiley1:

m

[monkey tennis]

My Dad back in the 70's used to cut out the backing cards from my Mego's and stick them on me and my brothers bedroom door (I had a couple of Fist Fighting Mego's to) and he even painted around them a few years later.
Now 30 years later my Dad and my Mum just shake their heads and say
HOW MUCH and that they saw the same ones down a carboot sale for £5.00
:yeah: