How does your family react to the hobby ?

Alright I gotta share another set of two cents...Mostly pertaining to how shocked I was at their reactions.

I was terrified that my relatives from Chicago would say something akin to "what a wast of money" or insinuate that I had done something wrong..I always feel so dumb around them, sometimes I feel like they think I'm stupid so when I found out they'd be going to a doll meet day with us I was TERRIFIED, I barely slept the night before that's how scared I was. I could already hear in my mind, the passive aggressive insults, the "why would you spend so much money on these dolls?" and I was so scared that I hadn't even said anything except: "Do you think they'll think it's stupid?" to my mom when we were en route. I was nervous all through out lunch as I had to explain why I had brought all my dolls with me, and when I was waiting with some of my friends waiting for everyone to show up...My AUNT the person who I suspected would be the one to rip me a new one regarding the dolls, asked to see them...And I showed her, told her their names...And shocker...Everyone accepted it, they had been impressed.

It was such a relief when they accepted it, asked me questions and also...My mom had taken her sister aside and explained to her that I was afraid she was going to judge me. I finally felt...Normal. They weren't seeing me when I had to be the normal big cousin, I didn't have two young kids dumped on me and made to parade them around, I felt like...It was a weight lifted. That my dolls had in a way let them see who I really was. The real me, who wasn't afraid to introduce myself to new people, who was walking around showing everyone in my family, the groups amazing dolls...I felt so proud. Especially when my outfits that I spend hours and hours working on got compliments from my family. I felt...Warm and so happy and at peace. And that peace hasn't left me. Heck I can't wait til August so I can show my family ALL of my dolls and my dollhouse and shelves. Also...It showed me that my family really did have my back, that they were happy to hang around and talk to everyone. Heck they even went and got me a cup of ice cream when I was at the meet and brought it back for me to have so I wouldn't have to leave my dolls unattended.

I'm happily shocked. And...I hope I can hook my little cousin into the hobby...Or her mom. <w<

 

Unfortunately for me, my father disapproves of this hobby. He's a very practical person so he thinks it's a waste of money to spend so much on 'dolls'.
But I am really glad that my mother is so supportive! I would show her pictures of dolls and she would be as excited as me.

 

My mom at first was not very excited and was a little upset that i am spending money on dolls in general and then i found BJDs and those are much more expensive.She was very upset but she has started to come around and even said that maybe as a Christmal/b-day present she would buy me an armoire so could have my doll a nice storage where i could easily display but keep them from sunlight. And that is a big leap for her cause a good one of those is as expensive as a doll or more. My sister thinks its weird cause I always tore my barbies apart and was a huge tomboy. My best friend is super jealous and showing interest in the hobby as well and another really good friend of mine is a sewing wiz and said she would make clothes for my dolls. So compared to others i have it pretty good.

 

I've shown them to my mom & grandmother since she sews well and my mom thinks they are kinda weird but interesting and my grandmother thinks they are pretty cool. She grew up making doll clothes in the 30/40's as a way to learn to sew though so she understands my excitement to sew & display the clothes on the dolls. My boyfriend is very supportive if somewhat uninterested. He's not very into my crafting things but he wholeheartedly lets me pursue them however I wish, which is really lucky for me .

 

My friends were just kind of meh. I told them I was getting BJDs and they just kind of accepted it considering they knew I draw so to them it was probably just another expensive art supply haha.
My husband makes fun of it a bit, he says to do whatever I'm happy with, but he still calls them "creepy dolls". He's supportive though.

I haven't told my parents. I know my father would probably make fun of me, and then ask why I would spend so much money on a "toy", my brother would do the same thing and call it creepy. My sisters would probably be ecstatic, since Mary is almost 8 and would just want to play with it, and Izzy would think it's pretty since she's only 3. My mother would probably accept it, but still say I should have saved my money for something else, though she'd see it as an expensive art supply as well.

I'm just glad my husband just teases lightly and it isn't anything rude or hateful about it. I love him for being accepting.

I feel bad for people who I've heard collect BJD and their family ridicules them for it...same with lolita dress.
I just want to be happy and use my dolls I'll get to learn to sew, and to do faceups. :3

 

My family doesn't know but I am sure they would judge spending so much money on dolls.

 

My father is very apathetic, my mother is slightly interested, and my old brother, of course-because when DON'T older brothers do it-teases me relentlessly about it.

 

lol my family thinks I'm nuts for loving dolls. And now that I secretly bought my 2nd doll after five years since the 1st, I think they'll go ballistic.

 

My family is quite fine with it. Apart of my grandmother, they are not overly excited about it but they don't judge me either. But my grandma even knitted my girls sweaters &#9829; She's so cute. but then she's like that for pretty much everything. If you ever need some cheering for unusual hobbies you should stop by her house hahaha she will bake us cakes, handle dolls with care and even listen to the crazy nonsense and probably agree with it

 

My family is divorced so it's a lot of mixed opinions going around. The general feel though is that Bjd are wayyy to expensive and that I need to stop with the two that I have. (Ohh I can't wait for my third girl to come in -smirks- my father has never seen one in person but thinks the dolls are beautiful but not worth it. And my mother thinks their pretty but I better not buy anymore. The rest of my family either has no idea what a Bjd is or are indifferent when they see them for the first time. (Everyone assumes that the dolls are cheap when they don't really know better....)

 

My dad doesn't really seem to care, it's just one of those strange hobbies I have, like all the anime stuff and art stuff and costume stuff, and it's nothing to really worry about.

My stepmom thinks they're pretty neat... and I slightly suspect they might have revived her own interest in Madame Alexander dolls, which she's now collecting from antique shops. She doesn't know the real price of any of them, but I think has at least some sense of it, since her own little dolls are not entirely cheap (though coming from this part of the doll world, I always think their price tags look like an absolute bargain!) and are considerably smaller and less elaborate than mine. I'm fairly sure she has a decent sense of "larger and more complexity means a higher price," though.

And neither of my siblings know anything about them, including that I own about two dozen now and counting...

 

My family has a mix of emotions regarding BJD's.
My mother is appalled at how expensive the dolls are, thinking that I shouldn't get anymore (I only have one and he was a gift). But she likes that I can make clothes for him and sew and keep myself busy.
My father hasn't quite expressed his opinion, although I'm sure it's something along the lines of "That's too expensive for a DOLL" but he's pretty cheap.
My brother has always thought I was weird and I collected action figures before this so it's nothing new to him. He just finds my doll "creepy".
My cousins/aunts/uncles etc all think I'm an oddball anyways.
As for my husband, he's supportive, as long as the bills are still getting paid and he gets to see the joy it brings me.
So while my family isn't unsupportive, they're not all entirely supportive either.

 

My siblings are quite aware of my eccentric interests so it didn't phase them at all. I first told my mom about the hobby and first mentioned what can be done with the dolls. After I explained it to her, I told her the price. She was really surprised but was supportive and told me to save up. She like the idea of me getting a doll because it allows me to keep my innocent and creative mentality. As for my dad...well...I wasn't even planning to tell him, until my little sister spilled the beans! All he told me was that my money can be used more wisely instead of using it for a doll. He's allowing me to buy one but I can tell that he'd rather see the money go to something else.

 

At first, my parents are not understand why did I buy the BJD just like a baby girl.
In their mind, BJD just like a toy, a doll.

But they are change their mind now.
When I made some outfit or furniture for my dolls, they will help.
When I take my dolls family to take photo outside, they will say "Are you take your son (daughter) outside today?"
I can show dolls photos with my parents and they are happy to see that today.

 

My mom hates me buying dolls I can't even talk about my dolls around her and no one in my family understands how I love these dolls and that its my money so I can buy what I love. My little sister wanted one but my mom keeps telling her use your money on better things then a stupid doll don't be like your sister. So she's scared to buy one or even save for one but one day I'm going to buy 1 for her so she can be just as happy as I am. I wish my mom understood hbow I feel, she lets her boyfriend buy model planes/trucks/cars but I can't buy my dolls...

 

Well my mom and my brother don't know at all that I collect dolls. We live in different city and visit each other not that often.
I think they wouldn't understand why I have dolls and spend so much money on them. Perhaps I will tell them one day^^

 

My husband really supports my insanity. He actually listens to me when I go on and on about dolls and lets me pay the ridiculous amount they cost without giving me a hard time. Of course I listen to him about legos and starwars (not too hard I like both).

My mom doesn't seem to have an opinion on them but she'll listen to me talk about it a bit.

My mother in law will let me show her my dollies if she gives me money for my birthday and I buy them stuff. She thinks they are okay because almost everyone has a hobby that costs money. She also likes it that I have something that keeps me being creative.

My sister in law thinks they are a waste of money and she is scared of them. She will try to compliment them sometimes though since she knows I like them. I try to keep them away from her when she visits so they don't startle her.

My cousin thinks they are neat but doesn't have an interest in them other than being supportive of me.

 

Hmmm well my mother likes them. Especially as she is happy that I collect less anime figures now... She prefers the dolls as she thinks they are much cuter

My father does not like me spending mony so he wants me to stop buying stuff in general. Not particularly hates/dislikes dolls.

And my brother wants to make me believe dolls are evil but he probably just wants me to stop spending money as well xD

 

Well nether mom nor dad are happy about Ran and himeka and they dont understand it but my dad collects olde stuf like LP and old musik in general that he like mom collects Cola Cola and together they collect Povel Ramel its a swedish comedian and song and text wrighter he is dead sens a cupen of years back but he is good or was... My brother was a worhammer nut and befor that it was lego now moves and statuse and he LOVE games no supris there -.-'

 

My older sister is excited about it! she keeps researching to what style of doll I must buy. My dad too!

but my Mother and little sister is afraid of dolls but they dont stop me for buying