Do your families know the cost of / support your dolls?

My family and friends tend to view me as "eccentric" with "quirky sensibilities" when it comes to my hobbies. I usually do not talk to them about bjs, as they do not get it, if they bring it out the topic of dolls it is out of curiosity. Usually, some express a faint interest, to appear polite, while others think the prices are absurd and others might view me as a pack rat as well. If I cared what my friends and family think I would not be happy. At the end of the day, it is my discretionary income.

The only time, I cared, was when I was a little girl and tried to convince my mother to buy me a particular doll. I feel most comfortable talking about dolls with my dollfriends and other doll collectors that understand the passion for bjds. When I was growing up, I didn't stop playing with my play scale 1:6 dolls until I was around 15 years old. Even though I "outgrew" playing with dolls, I still would check up on them and redress them and redo their hair.

 

My mother does at least. Though she was surprised to hear the cost of my dolls she accepted them. She's into motorcycles so she knows how expensive hobbies can get!

 

I wish my parents were that okay with it. They get it to an extent, and they know it makes me happy, but they tend to do the whole thing of "how many more dolls do you need, don't you have enough?" So because of how they act sometimes I tend to downplay the prices of the dolls I've gotten. I should add though that once I have a doll in hand my parents tend to warm up and have even helped me pick out clothing for a couple dolls before. They just don't really understand such an expensive hobby.

As for the rest of my family I either get mocked by my one cousin for having such an expensive hobby (while he has hobbies that are even more expensive than bjds are), and the others just ignore what I'm saying. So I've stopped talking about them to the rest of my family all together now.

My friends on the other hand are super supportive! They let me show them links of my dream dolls, show them my current dolls, and my one friend even bought a miniature collectible for my one doll for me.

 

My father probably wouldn't care, my money, my choice how I waste it (he died 3 years ago and I only recently joined the hobby).

My mother doesn't know about it. I did talk to her about wanting to get a doll/saving up, but she doesn't know I already own one. I decided not to tell her precisely cause of the price. I think my habit of saving up money and rarely ever buying anything for myself comes from her and growing up in a low income household (not poor, but always had to watch what we spend on).
I don't think she would care much tho, it's more like a me problem. I feel like I'd be judged cause of spending money on something that's not necessarily "useful". I still have some sort of shame regarding these type of things.

 

Absolutely! I'm in my thirties and married so my parents don't really factor into this question however I have spoken to my mom and sister about getting back into bjds and my mom was the one who bought me my very first one about 18 years ago (as my only Christmas gift, which was 100% okay). At that time the prices weren't nearly as high as they are now and I really wish I could remember the brand she bought from (I no longer have this doll).

My husband has always been very supportive of my hobbies as long as I take care of my obligations first (mortgage, car payment, health expenses, etc.). I can't say if he knows 100% the cost or money I spend on my dolls but he doesn't question it. Even my friends have been pretty receptive of this hobby and I do share pictures of them with them.

 

My wife recently asked for access to my doll spreadsheet for potential gift reasons (like what size clothes they wear), and I gave it with the caveat that they're not allowed to judge me on what I've spent. Then in the actual access note: "Reminder: only god can judge me"

But seriously, we've discussed that they're basically fine art pieces I buy with my own budgeted 'fun money'. Haven't shown friends or family in part because of the cost, especially knowing that most of my friends do not have the income I do to spend on expensive hobbies.

 

My husband and my children know how much they cost.
Husband knows because he buys them and fully supports my hobby
because, "it makes me happy"
My parents and siblings don't even know I have them. I live very far away from my family and they don't visit.
My mom does know that I collect dolls, she just doesn't know what types of dolls.

 

My sister did something sweet recently and bought me a porcelain doll she found on vacation because she knows I like dolls. Now I display my one porcelain doll proudly with all my bjds. It's nice to see it and think of her.

 

My family definitely knows, or has some ballpark awareness of the cost. My mom was really supportive - I think she was even curious, honestly, and seemed just as delighted as I was by all the miniature clothes and shoes. My sister has come around, and while it's not her thing, she appreciates the artistry. I think my dad is just baffled, lol.

 

I am fortunate that my husband helped purchase Philippe, my first doll. Everyone in my family teases me(playfully) about being an adult that has dolls, but they just accept it as part of my eccentric personality. lol I've had a couple family members be fearful of them, but I tell them they are being silly since they are inanimate objects at the end of the day. Most of my friends are supportive and enjoy me post things about them.

 

My spouse and children know about how much I spend and I would say they are supportive because they don’t say anything negative about what I buy. Outside of the household no one knows the cost and my in-laws don’t know the extent of my collection.

 

my husband is Italian and he doesn't know how much my dolls cost. I think it's better this way, husbands should be protected)). My mom knows about my hobby and prices and she really supports me in my hobby

 

In the beginning, I tried to be vague about the prices of the BJDs, but now my mom knows (+-) and even sometimes sews some clothes for my dolls when I come to visit her.
However, the beginnings were difficult and my parents thought I was a crazy woman.
I'm glad it got better. Even my father doesn't make stupid comments anymore.

 

I told my sister because she showed some interest in my dolls, and I could see the sticker shock on her face.
Still, she did spend a good half an hour holding my 1/3 girl so maybe she sees the appeal of them a bit!

 

when I first started the hobby I was all about sharing with my mom and sister they both supported me, actually got into it themselves at the time. Now that I got back into it my dad and kids are also very supportive, my dad actually got my second one for my birthday/mother days gift last year and my kids want one of their own and trying to figure out ways to save. I love it defiently do not feel judge by my family, now outside of the family I am hesitant on telling.

 

My mother knows the dolls are expensive, but not specific prices. She and my sister think collecting dolls is weird and dumb. My father was more accepting of my hobby (after I explained I could sell the dolls for the same price or in some cases even more than when I bought them lol). When I was young my parents never hindered my hobby, even though they didn't understand or approve of the expensive nature of it. So in that way I'm lucky.

 

That's nice of your parents to encourage you, support you, and share in your hobby in their own way. Unfortunately for me I'm not lucky with parents or extended family being like that. I'm lucky if they show any interest at all. I only have my sister who knows about the cost and is okay with it. She has gifted me several dolls for special events or just because. I don't think my parents will respond in a postive way because they never have.

I know my parents will react in an aggressive manner or in a manner that is critical. My mom will probably threaten to either kill me or throw me away or threaten to kill herself. My step-dad would just be aggressive and violent about it. That's why it would be hard to share my doll hobby or cost with them. It is how they usually respond to me. This is just from experiences with my parents I know this is how they will react without having to make a guess. Every interaction somehow becomes like this. I wouldn't tell them the cost at all.

I haven't been in contact with my biological dad, since maybe 8 to 12. I know how he would react it would be violent. He seemed okay when my mom decided to throw my sister away i think my sister was 15 then. All he really did was starve her, so maybe he's changed then perhaps he won't react too badly to my dolls if somehow he ever found out. He has a weird obsession with my sister and me. He always tried to get my mom to give up custody of us. I think this is how he would react to my dolls either violently or perhaps wouldn't care since he seemed to have changed... I dont know it's been awhile. I have no idea. I think the reaction of the dolls and cost would be unpredictable.

I'm not in contact with my dad's side of the family or my mom's side, but my extended step-family i used to be in contact with. They have shown no interest in me and would actively exclude my sister and me, so i would think if somehow they found out about my dolls and the cost they would most likely gossip about it. They are pretty shallow. During holidays when i was younger I would have to go to my extended step-family home and listen to them gossip about shallow things. I think they would respond in a way that would be shallow and critical. It would be another reason to exclude me. I don't know they've all gotten plastic surgery, so maybe they might bring up that it could have been money for surgery or something. During visits they usually talked about plastic surgery or something similar to that.

I'm not in contact with my older brother. Im really not sure how he would react. There is a large age gap between him and my sister and me. From what I recall from childhood. He didn't particularly like my sister and me and was sort of violent towards us. So from that I think maybe he might react in a way that will make me feel really bad. I really not sure how he will react if he knew. He seems nice to his wife, but we had to stay at his place a few times and he would have this aggressive edge towards us. I guess he would respond in a way that set me on edge.

I forgot I grew up with one aunt on my mom's side. I think i know how she would react due to many bad interactions with her. She would probably go tell our mom to disown us and get aggressive towards me. She usually would react to things in a overly aggressive manner similar to my step-dad. She could either go tell me to die because of the money I spent on dolls. It's actually very possible she would react by saying this because it's how she or my mom would react to stuff towards my sister and me. I actually can imagine this. I think that would be the most likely reaction either aggression or saying horrible stuff. It's usually how they reacted about everything before they cut off contact. I can't recall when they cut off contact it was sometime around the pandemic, but it's probably for the best because if they knew about these dolls cost I would be scared.

Edit:

I always like loving family stories. Thanks for sharing that. Your parents sound very cute and friendly. Your family sounds like an interesting group of people. I made my own family with my sister, my dogs, and my dolls. I forgot to add besides my sister reacting not really negative not really positive, but neutrally ( she supports my hobby, but it doesn't mean she likes the hobby I am in. She just likes it when i am happy.) that I think my dogs would react by getting super excited and thinking it's for them. I think my current dolls will react by half of them thinking yay another member of the family and the other half not another one we are already crowded as it is.

I'm sorry this is long. I forgot I did meet my mom's side of the family in her home country during a few months there. It was my first time there, but my cousin there oddly hated me so much. She didn't like people would tell my sister and me were thin and pretty. She got oddlg very jealous. It turned out later she hated us because we grew up in america. It's a strange reason to hate someone. I think her reaction would be extreme jealousy. All my interactions with her ended in her being jealous. The other cousins i met showed no interest in my sister and me, so i guess that is how they would react to my dolls. My aunt I just met was oddly very aggressive at times, but also nice and complimented our appearance often. That makes me think she would react to my dolls in a mix reaction. I forgot they might think it's one of those dolls for inappropriate things I did bring up during that time I really wanted a bjd and my mom told everyone then mh aunt said it was one those dolls. Then my mom went around telling people about it. Or was it mu aunt told my mom jt was one of those dolls. My memories fuzzy. Either way she went around telling eveyrone about it.

Sorry for all the details and long windedness. Maybe it's even off topic. I struggle to keep my thoughts focused and need to follow my train of thought or it's hard for me to recall what i was trying to write or recall what I was even thinking about if I don't follow my train of thought. Maybe this is too personal will I get in trouble. I might delete this if i don't forget. Im sorry I am autistic so I never know what not to share until someone tells me not too.

 

Maybe she is trying to get them to voice their disapproval, so she doesnt have to voice out loud if she does disapprove it. I'm sorry is that offensive my thought. It was just my first thought that came to mind. My mom would tell people things about me to get people on her side to pity her and bad mouth me, so i assumed maybe that was your mother's true thoughts or intentions about your doll. It probably isn't though. She might just be proud you can afford a luxury doll and want to show how well you are doing financially and in a way approving of it. My mom would tell people about my autism and such things when i didn't want her to and get people to pity her and say how difficult and burden I am and encourage her to lock me away in an institution. That is why i thought maybe your mom was trying to use a third party to voice her thoughts or shame you.

 

My parents are fine with the fact that I collect Barbies. I've mentioned BJDs around them since I had many ideas to 3D print some BJD files I found on Thingiverse and they're supportive of that as well. Mostly because the 3D printing bit is part of my creativity and I've started using my Barbies in stop-motion animation videos on my YouTube channel which is also part of my creativity. My parents support my creativity so anything creative that involves dolls, they'll support as well (I hope, lol).

 

Yes, my husbond buys them to me. Last week I said I want a new sd head an 10 wigs. Got it.
Last month a 1:12 girl and a bjd horse. Got it.