This is a pretty somber thread, just a heads up.
I always see so many members here reminiscing about their favorite toylines and re-acquiring them from their youth...a lot of you seem to collect what you loved from your childhood. I have a different reason for collecting, which I'll go into in a moment...but it's not a particularly happy reason.
I grew up in an extremely dysfunctional household. We lived on a very unprofitable farm, and were always poor it seemed. My dad also worked full time and my mom part time to make ends meet, but there was simply never any extra money. This led to my parents fighting a lot, and taking out their frustrations on us. The order of the day was work, work, work. My sister and I worked as many hours as a full time job when we were kids.
As far as toys, etc. my parents couldn't afford a lot and also felt we didn't need to be "entertained" as they put it. The answer was always..."You don't NEED that. You have work to do."
Add to that the fact that my parents always kept us so busy, they didn't allow us to have friends over, or go to friends houses. I never had a single birthday party growing up. No birthday presents either that I can remember. My birthday just happens to be a month after Christmas, so I was always told, "You just got blank for Christmas, you don't NEED a birthday present." Bearing in mind that Christmas was really small, except for two years I can remember, and one year we skipped it altogether.
It pretty much sucked. The other thing about my parents is that they were not only strict, but cold. I don't know why I'm telling you guys this, except that it's been bothering me of late. My parents never told either one of us they loved us. Not once. Never a hug, nothing. My mom's been gone 11 years now, and it never gets easier. Especially around this time of year.
So I guess my reason for collecting isn't so much reliving my childhood as enjoying the childhood I never had.
Not only that, but I have a strong attachment to these little plastic things that bring me so much joy. They're always there when I need them.
I always see so many members here reminiscing about their favorite toylines and re-acquiring them from their youth...a lot of you seem to collect what you loved from your childhood. I have a different reason for collecting, which I'll go into in a moment...but it's not a particularly happy reason.
I grew up in an extremely dysfunctional household. We lived on a very unprofitable farm, and were always poor it seemed. My dad also worked full time and my mom part time to make ends meet, but there was simply never any extra money. This led to my parents fighting a lot, and taking out their frustrations on us. The order of the day was work, work, work. My sister and I worked as many hours as a full time job when we were kids.
As far as toys, etc. my parents couldn't afford a lot and also felt we didn't need to be "entertained" as they put it. The answer was always..."You don't NEED that. You have work to do."
Add to that the fact that my parents always kept us so busy, they didn't allow us to have friends over, or go to friends houses. I never had a single birthday party growing up. No birthday presents either that I can remember. My birthday just happens to be a month after Christmas, so I was always told, "You just got blank for Christmas, you don't NEED a birthday present." Bearing in mind that Christmas was really small, except for two years I can remember, and one year we skipped it altogether.
It pretty much sucked. The other thing about my parents is that they were not only strict, but cold. I don't know why I'm telling you guys this, except that it's been bothering me of late. My parents never told either one of us they loved us. Not once. Never a hug, nothing. My mom's been gone 11 years now, and it never gets easier. Especially around this time of year.
So I guess my reason for collecting isn't so much reliving my childhood as enjoying the childhood I never had.
Not only that, but I have a strong attachment to these little plastic things that bring me so much joy. They're always there when I need them.
Comment