Im not that old, but I do wonder at what point, if ever, is it sad to find toys/stuff designed for young people fun?
I dont like hunting and meat smokers. Or sports. Im into classic consoles and rc cars and Legos. Sometimes I feel like people have kids just so they can try to relive their own kid days. But I do that on a daily basis. Im surrounded by “kid” stuff, right down to 90s vhs cartoons and a Bop it.
My co workers would think its very odd that I spent the weekend playing atari and building legos. I guess I did put up some wood paneling too. But most other people were probably trucking their kids to sports practice and smoking a hog.
Not nearly as sad as avoiding something you enjoy just because somebody else might find out.
Misery likes company.
My SIL “jokes” that I “must be autistic” because I didn’t want to have kids and like to play legos with my niece.“You’re a very childish adult”, “you don’t want to grow up” well fuck her, you know what she likes? doomscrolling tiktok, following “influencers” and complaining about her kids. I’m VERY happy being who I am and going to keep ignoring her stupid ass
Now that I think about it, I think I actually dated someone like that.
I have an uncle in his 40s, no wife or kids, just buys the newest games and locks himself in his room. Nothing wrong with doing what makes you happy.
“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up” --C.S. Lewis
The most well adjusted people I know stay in love with something/things from their childhood. Also, revisiting childhood experiences is a popular therapy exercise for recovering from mental trauma.
Lego and old console gaming are two very common things to be interested in as an adult :) If you have a genuine connection to something, don’t force yourself to sever it.
Turns out that if you do your work and pay your taxes you get to decide what to do with your money and time.
Accept that people may not like the things you do. You can always find someone enthusiastic about the same things you are online.
Don’t listen to them and do your own thing.
My household is full of Legos, plushies, little cute collectibles, consoles, board games… And there’s no children. People should enjoy whatever they want to enjoy, no matter the age or gender or whatever.
We only judge people who don’t understand how serious we take playing “Make believe”.
I want to add that I am in this category as well. I play for kittycat gashapon at Red Robin. I bought Lidl advent calendars for me and the hubby. We look forward to getting stickers from the elementary teacher who moonlights as a trivia host at the pub each week. And I’m half a century old. IDGAF what other people think. I never hid these sorts of things from my coworkers, and they accepted it’s just who I am. They also know me as an empathetic, level-headed, practical voice of reason if the situation calls for it. Two things can be true!
Not always a winner for takes, but this quote by C.S Lewis I’ve always found helpful
When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up. - C.S. Lewis
There’s nothing sad about enjoying the things you enjoy, thinking there are rules to follow in order to be an adult is the most childish thing you could do as an adult.
You have hobbies and you don’t need anyone to tell you that you are or aren’t allowed to have them, don’t let people who are too afraid to enjoy what they want to enjoy gatekeep you.
Do cool shit.
Nothing in what you describe are “children’s toys”. LEGO, Atari, RC cars, etc can be enjoyed by all ages.
Don’t let your personal insecurities convince you otherwise.
I’m a 48-yo man who enjoys retro gaming, and I would love to get into LEGO if I had the space for it. And if anybody tried to tell me otherwise, I’d laugh at them.
I’ve lived too damn long worried about what other people think about me to care anymore. I’m going to live MY life now, and you should live YOURS. Fuck the haters.
~Now get off my lawn!~
Almost 1/2 century old and I still have stuffed animals my mom gave me as a kid in the hospital and a few others for my birthday.
If she didn’t get rid of my old millennium falcon and other starwars toys i would still have them.
You like what you like and you keep what means something to you. Fuck what anyone else thinks!
I’d really love to see your stuffed animals. <3
Mom gave me these on Valentine’s day so long ago they are fading in color.
My stuffed animals are in storage ATM but I hope this will brighten the moment in their stead!
I have stuffies too! I have a glowworm i got as a baby, and i have a lion who i’ve had for many years. No shame in having stuffies if they bring you joy. Fuck what other people think.
I remember the glowworms, my sister had one. We both had cabbage patch kids. I hate that I didnt keep my garbage pale kid cards. At least I still have an almost full set of 1991 Marvel cards. One of my best friends gave me a gold plated Gen 13 card i have kicking around somewhere.
Never. You like what you like.
Once you’re older than 99 you’re not allowed to play with Lego’s anymore
Poor Dick Van Dyke.
As someone who doesn’t generally play with children’s toys, i still say the answer is never.
As Randall Munroe said way back in XKCD #150, we’re the grownups now, and we get to decide what that means. Life is too short not to spend as much of it as you can doing what you want. So long as it doesn’t interfere with others, go wild.
as long as it doesn’t interfere with others
Hell, find someone who consents and go wild with company! it’s 2x the fun!
Just like in the xkcd.
It’s only sad if you give others the power to judge you.
