toys, stuffed animals, action figures and letting go, or not!

[WingZombie38]

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been here. I've been in a major funk for a while now, finals haven't helped. That fact that my last final is on Friday has made me feel somewhat better. Well, here's what I came here for:

My sister's birthday was in early December so we got bunch of calls from all our relatives [Sicily] and in particular we [my sis and I] spoke with our 28 year old cousin. She was a bit upset that I bought my sister a re-issue Jazz [Transformers] for her Birthday. Not because it was Transformers but because I did not get in trouble for buying it.

She wasn't allowed to have any toys or play with them after the age of 7. I hadn't realized it was so early in her life and she notified me that our other cousin [the last time I lived near her I was only 3] was NEVER allowed to have toys! We began discussing our lives and the toys we had...

My sister and I were told to stop playing with toys around age 9-10. I don't remember how, but our parents succeeded in stopping us from playing but not from buying. Every once in a while my sister and I would demand to have at least 3 toys in a year. Recently with starting college in 2002, my sister and I have spent any money we could spare on buying toys, mostly Transformers and Gundams. [Hey, we love our robots]

Our parents didn't like it and have tried to stop us and failed. We don't constantly buy them, we don't spend too much money at a time, and we take care that we keep 'em clean and dust free. What helped our parents warm up to their new robo tenants was something I told them.

Translated, it went along the lines of this: "I know we don't have a lot of money due to the crap in our life lately and I know we are all stressed out. My sister and I need these toys, they are like therapy to us in a world that is almost too much to handle. They are not an escape from reality but a way to help us handle reality and smile. And you know more than anyone how much we need to smile and have a little fun."

They are still concerned about the money issue but I really think they don't hate our toys now. To test this out, my sister and I have put our toys in funny poses or make them do things. You know what? It makes them smile and laugh! Something they don't readily do.

On my cousins end, things aren't so bright. I just don't understand the mentality of it all. Yes, toys need money to be bought. But so what? What kind of imagination are children going to have if they are either not allowed to have toys or are stopped from having any because they get "too old". Who is to say how old you are supposed to be to give them up?

The cousin I have, who was never allowed to have toys or play, is a stiff from what I remember of her. There hasn't been a day in her life in which studying was a major part of. She has no clue how to have fun besides going to a disco and dancing with her even stiffer husband. The one I spoke with is an emotional stress machine. Not mostly due to toys. She's not even allowed to be a fan of Ricky Martin & Sergio Bass, both of whom she loves dearly. Did I mention she is 28? She even got in trouble when my sister and I sent her a bunch of Ricky Martin merchandise plus a stuffed Hello Kitty doll for her birthday 2 years ago!

I'm not too sure where I'm going with this. I wanted to rant a bit but more so, I wanted to understand why parents want to ban things such as toys from their children. Not to mention into adulthood with my cousin. [She's embarrassed to watch cartoons!]

So here's some questions to all of you: What are your opinions on what I wrote? Do you still buy/play with toys? Do you think their should be an age limit on playing with/buying toys? Why? Why not? Anything else? [darn finals got me writing all essay questions-like]

[DianaGohan]

I think you should be allowed to posess and even play with toys if you do so desire, and there shouldn't be an age limit for them. Even though I don't have any.

"B.S What about those toy dolls you have?"

Uh.... I don't know what you're talking about.

+I believe Samanatha is referring to those cute little teddy bears you have on the side of your wall, and the-F+

Okay, yeah I have a few. Like I said, there should be no limit on toys/figures/dolls/etc.

"Well, there should be a limit on what age you should stop holding them while trying to sleep."

Hey! That was only the one from Blue Falcon. And I love Blue Falcon.

"We all know that."

+Well, I do believe that most people would have heard of that fact, but I'm not sure that all of them have. However, a good majority have, espically those who have been keeping track of your recent posts and read your signature+

Yeah, well let's just end it here, alright?

+That would be good+

"Whatever".

[Roger Smith]

Do you still buy/play with toys?
Yes =) that why being a mexican is good.. we dont get sterotype parents there happy while we get good grades
Do you think their should be an age limit on playing with/buying toys?
17 to up =)

[Weatherman]

I think your parents are complete wet blankets who had rotten childhoods themselves and that your cousin's parents are complete fascists. What's so wrong with kids wanting to be kids, even if said kid is 25? :sweat:

There's no upper age for collecting stuff. As long as you when it's time to collect and when it's time to do the stuff you need to do to survive, what's the big deal?

[Elven Moon]

You know, if I wasn't so afraid I'd go out and buy a baby doll :sweat: Seriously. I love toys. I love going to the toy aisle in stores - it cheers me up. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a doll or game or whatever, and wanted badly to own it and play with it.

I wish everyone could play with toys, whether you're 5 or 50. And people wouldn't look down on you for it, perhaps encourage it!

[BabySealClubber]

I'm in my mid 30s and I still love to play and buy video games. Considering that games are now just chalked full of so much adult material that Congress seems to target them for the deliquency of American youth almost weekly, I don't think this is unusual. Pong was alot of fun when I was 7 and now that I am an adult why shouldn't I continue to enjoy updated versions like Top Spin?

Through college and deep into my 20s I enjoyed comic books and still do occasionally pick up a collected works volumn even though I began reading Batman and Captain America back in the 70s. The popularity and depth of these characters is why popular movies like X2 and Spiderman make hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

As for the action figure/dolls aspect of your conversation. I admit that I no longer play with them anymore. However I still am willing to pick up a cool anime related figure in a hobby store or online. I am particularly favorable to the Neon Genesis Evangelion EVA units. They are kinda like the Gundams that you mentioned.

Kids need toys to help develop their imaginations and cooperative communication skills. Adults need similar devises to relieve the stress of daily life and as a reminder of what being a kid was once like.

Didn't Toy Story teach us anything?

[Rune]

From when I was about 10 y/o my own mother was constantly telling me things like 'you're too old to watch cartoons', 'you're a young lady now so you shouldn't be dangling upsidedown on the sofa when I have my friends in for coffee' and stuff like that. the result was that I took absolutely no notice of any of this and grew upat my own pace and I believe I'm a better person for it. (Oh and before anyone asks, no I don't still dangle upsidedown on the sofa when people come around.)

I think what a parent expects from their child is too often a direct reflection of the way their parents treated them at that age, you have to break the cycle and let kids be kids, after all once they do decide themselves that they're too old for certain types of toys its something of a landmark in their young lives, to decide for them what they like and don't like, what they can and can't play with. Toys are a valuable touchstone in a child's development and fire their imaginations, often children will roleplay with toys and this can be important too, when one of my children started school he used to come home and run a school in his room for his sister and her toys, it seemed just fun to me but it also had a purpose becasue when it was time for her to start school she was already quite familiar with how it all went.

My oldest child is 13 and the youngest 11,the 13y/o has moved on to video games etc but my daughter still likes toys, she has loads of cuddly toys - used to collect Beanies yet still wanted a toy cat for Xmas, which is fine by me. I'm often given cuddly toys as presents by friends and family and last year I had an action man (like G.I. Joe) from my mother-in-law as a gift (okay, enough about that one) :shrug:

So in answer to Wing's question, no of course there shouldn't be an age limit on buying toys and Elven Moon if you wanta doll then go ahead and buy one, if it makes you happy then its right for you. Some people spend their money on perfumes, others on china teapots or shoes or even simply candy and the point is its their money so if its making them happy then who are we to gainsay them?

[The Falcon]

the only time i ever play with toys is when i'm hanging out with my ten year old sister and she wants to play legos or something :) it's true that i buy the occasional "toy". the other month i saw a cool looking little optimus prime fire truck transformer, so i bought it! it currently sits on the shelf in my room. but, who needs toys when you have video games! sure, your imagination suffers, but your thumbs get a healthy work out

Falcon

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

You mean there are adults who DON'T still buy toys?

:eek:

Maybe it's just a sign of arrested mental development or something, but I don't think I ever stopped buying toys once I started making enough cash to buy them on my own. Some of them decorate my desk and monitor at work (biggest problem with LCD monitors -- no room at the top for the toys), some end up at home, and some get vigorously played with by my niece and nephew, who LOVE coming to our house because we have such cool stuff. We're almost at the point where we'll buy two toys -- one for us and one for them (and the eventual kiddies).

In my jobs in the tech sector, people would join in with the toys and comment on how cool some of them were. I've since moved to programming in the financial sector, where I'm the lone toy-covered desk in the office...and people are STILL commenting on how cool my toys are.

Besides, have you checked out toy aisles lately? There's some REALLY (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B00008MIFZ/qid%3D1071759466/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-3670766-7444621) COOL (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B000096RFN/qid%3D1071758961/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-3670766-7444621) AND (http://www.wonderfullywacky.com/kungfu-hamster.htm) FUNNY (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000798L5/qid=1071758840/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-3670766-7444621?v=glance&s=toys) STUFF (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/toys/B00009AA4G/qid=1071759422/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3/103-3670766-7444621) out there.

There are also toys (http://www.blueboxtoys.com/bbi/cygirls/index.html) that are definitely NOT (http://www.blueboxtoys.com/bbi/aviator/Bush/index.htm) geared for children, but for older toy collectors. This guy has an entire room full of 'em (http://www.mwctoys.com/) (and check out his interview and more photos (http://www.lightingthefuse.com/artman/publish/article_52.shtml)). And I vaguely recall reading an article a few years ago that said most of the Nerf weaponry (http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/pl/page.browse/subbrand.99/dn/default.cfm) sold in toy stores wasn't going to kids, but to adults who were taking them to the office. It made justifying the Nerf Crossbow sitting on the filing cabinet that much easier.

The other maxim that usually gets trotted out in these kinds of discussions involves computers, home theatre systems, big-screen TVs, and cars or car-related thingamabobs. Adults still buy toys -- they're just more expensive.

-- Ed/Ace

[Nightflower]

Heh.

My mom is a very strict, very traditional Chinese woman. Ever since I was fairly young, on random periods every few months, she'd go into my room while I was in school and "clean" it, throwing away anything she didn't like or didn't know what it was. I lost many a homework assignment that way. :P

When I was about nine or ten, she said I was too old to play with toys, and gave most of them to charity. That's what she said, anyway, and I believed it until I went to her friend's house and played with her daughters. They had my barbies! :eek: In fact, they called them the "poor" barbies, where they lived in a cardboard box on the other side of barbie town and had crappy names, while their own barbies were the "rich" barbies who lived in the barbie mansion and had nice names.

Oh well. At that time, I didn't like barbies much anyway. :P

I think it's really terrible for parents to take away toys. Heck, I still go to sleep with a stuffed bunny (Something my mom understood that she can't take away!). :o My boyfriend gave me Transmetal II Blackarachnia a few months ago. :p

[The Falcon]

lets bow our heads and take a moment to remember nightflower's wasted toys...

...

ok. now. how could a parent do such a thing?!? i personally kept all my toys until i was at least 15 and then i gave them away on my own accord. that or i threw them into the toy box in the garage and forgot about them for all time :D

Falcon

[Weatherman]

*takes a moment of silence for every chilhood that was thrown in the trash*

"Poor Barbies"? Wow, your friends certainly had quite a social structure amongest their toys Nightflower. :p


My whole bedroom at my apartment is covered in toys. I have about 15 or so reboot figures from 3 different reboot figure lines all over my desk and my book case, a brand new Link riding Epona figure, 2 Zoids on my television and 8 little Tenchi figures on top of my book case, along with about 2 dozen or so plushies in various parts of my room. Always looking for more stuff. :-d

[Discloner]

My whole bedroom at my apartment is covered in toys. I have about 15 or so reboot figures from 3 different reboot figure lines all over my desk and my book case, a brand new Link riding Epona figure, 2 Zoids on my television and 8 little Tenchi figures on top of my book case, along with about 2 dozen or so plushies in various parts of my room. Always looking for more stuff. :-d

...I envy you...




Oh so how I envy you....

[Chad Bonin]

Gah, if I had my digital camera, I would trounce all of you.

One shelf full of Transformers (Beast Wars - Armada, and hopefully Energon Starscream this week), one shelf full of Gundams (Epyon's the only one from Wing, a bunch of G, and a handful of UC ones [Both standard and battle damaged RX-79 G, I just love that design so much]), one shelf full of Star Wars (Not even that huge a fan, they're just usually dirt cheap on clearance, one shelf full of Simpsons (A bunch of sets, too), and one shelf half full of stuffed things (Stan and Kenny from South Park, Sonic and Tails from Sonic, Mario, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi from Nintendo, and Izzy from the Olympics).

That's one walls.

Another is full of video game characters, running the gamut from Mario & Luigi and Megaman & Zero to Claire & Chris Redfield and Crash Bandicoot & Funky Kong. Then you get the comic book heroes, such as The Avengers and Batman Beyond.

Now to the bookshelves.

One shelf full of DBZ, one shelf full of animé/movies (Ryoko and Robocop, etc.), and a few Rangers and Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots on top.

Elsewhere...

Omega Prime stands on my TV next to Big O, He-Man, Skeletor, the Time Force Megazord, and two Heroclix huge enough to stand alongside action figures (Sinestro and Sentinel)... and Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man hold back books. I have a good box of Spider-Man Classics figures that I just have nowhere to put yet... need another shelf somewhere.

[Corrado]

I got tons of WWE toys, South Park toys, Spongebob toys, and Batman action figures in my room.

And in another room, I have Hershey's stuff, and Beetles.

[Discloner]

I've got a collection of Star Wars figures on two shelves, but Its been a few years since I've added to it, kinda lost interest.

Throughout my room I've got a grab bag of diffrent toys and figures from diffrent shows. Got Bucket O Binomes, Bob and Matrix for my ReBoot collection...but I must have more. (Suprisingly I found Bob and the Bucket O Binomes at a Ames 'going out of buisness' sale)

[Pilmedium]

Parents should not take away toys from children after the age of three, but toys that were appropriate for babies are sometimes difficult to like. If a child wants to keep a toy from then, it should be locked up for occasional memories. After the age of three, it is easy for anyone with an open mind to enjoy a toy, but adults would look weird playing with toys that were meant for five-year-olds. If anyone still likes old toys, they should be allowed to use them, but they should do so privately to avoid negative attention. It is ridiculous for money to be an issue when an item can be afforded, not at the expense of anything else.

[Parallax]

The entire part of my furnished basement is filled with Action Figures. AF on the floor, in boxes, set up, displayed, and all over the place. I do play with 'em too. Not often, of course. Which reminds me, I need to clean that place up, =o

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

I have toys from when I was younger in my room still and I'm 23. I buy action figures, stuffed animals (mostly cats, bears, Pokemon for the most part), Sailor Moon plushies, Sailor Moon action figures, tons of stuff!! :anime:

(post 400!! :anime: )

[Weatherman]

D'oh, almost forgot my Big O figure that has a broken arm. Been meanign to try and fix it, but I haven't. Anime/game plushies include a Link, a Zelda, a Goron, all four of the major Digi Charat figures, a full size Ein, Ed carrying Ein, Vash, Lupin, Jigen, Zenigata and a hand-modified Boo(megatokyo). Still looking for Goemon and Fujiko, and I want to start adding some Beast Wars transformers too.

[Outlander00]

I still buy toys from time to time, but they mostly stay statuesque on my shelves in various poses, cluttering. Most of the toys I have are from my Gundam kick, however I do have a few Todd McFarlane figures as well as the first fun Skeletor (from new MotU series) and the elusive Zip-Line Batman figure. Right now I am looking for a re-issue of Megatron and Starscream :D

My friend is really big on toys, however. He has at least 2 of every Marvel Legends figure as well a few here and there from various toy lines. i keep telling him he'll get to a point where he'll need to take up the entire basement of his house just to put his figures in :p



btw, WZ... Im glad they didnt get on your case about the TF posters ;) :p

[David the Joker]

I'm 20, and I still have all my Batman (DC Heroes), Spider-Man (Marvel Heroes), Star Trek, and Simpsons action figures in my room. I also have all my collectables in my room, and I'm running out of space. I dont collect as much as a used to because my action figures in my room have so much dust since they just sit there, but they are what I always liked, and are reminder of the fun adventures I had playing with them when I was a kid.

The only action figures I dont have in my room, is my Ghostbusters, Masters of the Universe, and original Ninja Turtles, since I dont have the room.

[Jedigreedo]

Anybody tries to touch my Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman, Marvel figures or my LEGOs and they're gonna find themselves wearing Mego Blok shoes. It could be worse, you could be spending the money on heroin to get your fix, but at least with toys it caresses your imagination in a good way. :D

[WingZombie38]

btw, WZ... Im glad they didnt get on your case about the TF posters ;) :p They were just glad we got the TF posters on sale. Still can't put them up though. :shrug:

Thanks for all of your responses guys. I just love hearing about all your collections, especially yours Knux! Poor Barbies, Nightflower. You know when I was 5 my aunt [the same one who won't allow my cousin to be a Ricky Martin fan] gave away my favourite Barbie doll. When I saw the girl she gave it to I just ripped it out of her hand!

I definitely agree with the whole collecting is better then spending money on drugs part. It's healthier. :D

[Chad Bonin]

I'm hard at work on pictures.

[Chad Bonin]

Alright, here we go!

DBZ Parts 1 (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_1A.JPG) and 2 (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_1B.JPG).

Misc. Crap 1 (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_2A.JPG) and 2 (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_2B.JPG).

Rangers! (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_3.JPG)

Bookshelf (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_Books.JPG) and Bookshelf (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Bookshelf_Manga.JPG).

The X-Men! (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/CD_Rack.JPG)

Stuffed dudes. (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Stuffed_Shelf.JPG)

Transformer Leaders! (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/TV_Shelf.JPG)

Game and Comic Characters A (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_1A.JPG) , B (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_1B.JPG) , and C. (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_1C.JPG)

Gundams and Star Wars! A (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_2A_and_3A.JPG) , B (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_2B_and_3B.JPG) , and C. (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_2C_and_3C.JPG)

Transformers (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_3A.JPG)! Transformers! (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_3B.JPG) Other Stuff! (http://www.angelfire.com/zine/knuxfive/Digitalpics/Toy_Shelf_3C.JPG)

[Weatherman]

Knux, that is insane. I see you got one of the Reboot figure sets I got and a few of the 5" figures. Where'd the Sonic and Mario figures and dolls come from?

[Chad Bonin]

The Sonic figures came from... the... Sonic action figures line. Mario and co. came from Mario Kart. The stuffed ones came from the... uh... stuffed figure line.

[Weatherman]

What I ment was where did you buy them? ;)

[Chad Bonin]

TRU, to the best of my memory. I need to go out there sometime.

Nemesis Prime and Energon Starscream will be mine!

[Jaguar]

Heh, I think I'll pick up Todd McFarlane's line of Soul Calibur II action figures, then get some Gundams to assemble and then pit them against each other.

[Chad Bonin]

While I like SC, I doubt I'd pick up the new ones. I do have one of the old guys.

I've been meaning to try a Gundam kit, but I like the figures too.

[WingZombie38]

Great stuff there Knux! You should try some of the Gundam kits. Just take special care to put them in a secure place. Mine are all [except Burning Gundam] broken because I kidn't do so and they all got knocked down to the floor from a high place. *cries* I want Nemesis and E. Starscream as well. I just have not seen them at and TRU or K-Mart. No Wallmart here and I need 3 busses if I should go to a target. :shrug:

[Morpheus]

I want more of the Mcfarlane Matrix figures. So far I have:

1st Neo
1st Morpheus
Sentinal
2nd Morpheus
2nd Neo

I have Neo and the Sentinal in my room in the apartment with him stopping it.
The Two Morpheuses are on my shelves.

[Bakasama]

Great stuff there Knux! You should try some of the Gundam kits. Just take special care to put them in a secure place. Mine are all [except Burning Gundam] broken because I kidn't do so and they all got knocked down to the floor from a high place. *cries* I want Nemesis and E. Starscream as well. I just have not seen them at and TRU or K-Mart. No Wallmart here and I need 3 busses if I should go to a target. :shrug:

You got broken kits? I think you can fix them with modeling cement and you may have to repaint some of the broken parts.

[Chad Bonin]

Part of the reason I haven't picked up the models was because they require paint jobs...

[Bakasama]

I understand where you're coming from. Putting the models together isn't that hard but the getting a paint job that doesn't look like crap is a harsh test of one's skill and patience.

[Chad Bonin]

I'd rather wait a while and get a Rising Gundam with a good paint job than a Rising Gundam with no paint job. Plus, they're in scale with all my other Gundam figures.

Aaaannnd... the Gundam Wing figures suck, right? I got Epyon, and the dude's pretty crappy.

[Obi]

I'm a Transformers collector.


Therefore, I think you already know what my position on buying toys is. :p

[WingZombie38]

You got broken kits? I think you can fix them with modeling cement and you may have to repaint some of the broken parts.
Hmm, I never thought of that. After break I'll see if I can head on over to a shop and get somewhere. Repainting is going to be a pain.

Knux is your Epyon crappy mostly because it's wobbly? Mine is majorly wobbly. I never even bother painting it.

[Chad Bonin]

He's not wobbly, he's just... unarticulate. You can't get him in cool poses like my kickin' RX-79(G) Gundam. Heck, the battle scarred variation is using a sniper rifle as a crutch for his missing leg, he's so articulate. Epyon's just standing there with a sword.

[Squall]

I'm 26, and I have an almost-complete collection of 1984-1986 Generation 1 Transformers... I also have all 7 members of the Justice League, unopened... however, they're all on display. I haven't actually played with toys since I was 12, but I love to display and look at them. :)

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

Christmas Eve, we always open one present. I was shocked, surprised and happy when I opened up the one I wanted to. It's from the Princesses of the World Barbie series and I got Princess of Ireland. I be part Irish. ;) She's the first one of the series that I wanted and I got. She's so pretty, so elegant. So perfect. I LOVE it!! :D

[Samurai Karasu]

...I cant get rid of Teddy Roosevelt or my Stuffed Mannatee Manny. They're...too awesome.

[Chad Bonin]

Christmas came and went, and nary a Transformer to be found.

Oh well, looks like I'll be buying some in the next week. Must get Energon Starscream and Clearance Unicron and Nemesis Prime and Clearance Armada Prime... if they ever get to that point.

[DaphHime]

You know, all my life, I don't think my parents have ever told me to stop playing/buying toys. They've told me to throw out toys that we didn't want anymore, but never to stop buying or playing with them.

Look at my room, and you might confuse it with the room of someone younger. I have tones of anime posters. It's extreamly messy (though what teenage room isn't?_) I even have the same Scooby Doo poster on my door that I've had up since the 6th grade. I also have a few stuffed animals laying around.

I don't think anyone should be too old to have toys. Though I find it intresting how my toys have turned into decorations rather than things you can play with. :p