How does your family react to the hobby ?

My parents are completely indifferent to be honest. In fact I would say they had a bit of an interest into how they work etc. I recently explained the concept of face-ups and basically how the dolls work. I also tried to justify buying a Doll Heart outfit for my incoming girl, my dad was pretty supportive. My parents have their hobbies and I have mine, they all cost about the same as well. But my best friend Kyle, thinks that my girl is going to stab me in my sleep. He is a typical guy, video games and sports. He also laughed at the male dolls and said they looked girly. My other friends don't know about it and my grandparents don't care one bit.

 

I live with my grandparents, and my nan cannot stand to be in the same room as my doll! She calls me wierd and strange , my grandad doesnt mind him, and my sister thinks hes cool. I got my best friend into the hobby and she recently got her own BJD which made me really happy

 

I think my family's initial reaction would be "You are spending $$ on THIS?!" when they find out the pricing. Otherwise... while my dad might just be amused by it, my mom's already met some of my friend's BJDs... and... uh... she thinks they are pretty cool - she loves the idea of 'optional parts'. Thinking about getting her a SpiritDoll~ (Yes, that evil idea belongs to my friend K'van. Sad to say... I'm pretty much going along with it )

 

My mom is receptive to it - she's a collector sort, and drawn to beautiful things as well. She's also into crafts, so she's even thinking of things she wants to make for my doll when he gets here! When you've got an artsy family member, it isn't too hard to lure them into finding the hobby interesting, given all of the things you can do in it.

My sister just thinks they're creepy, even though she used to have American Girl dolls and I think those are creepier. BJDs don't blink. But she's one of those dismissive, "You're weird," types.

My dad, on the other hand... He doesn't understand things that I want unless they have a clear and concrete practical use. In explaining the hobby to him, I had mentioned offhand that they could be useful for artist models, and later he said something along the lines of, "I've only ever heard of the little wooden posing models, but those seem very realistic."

 

I'm very lucky in that my mother has always been supportive of all my hobbies. When I collected animation cels, she'd drag my book out to show friends. She wanted one of my unsold Pokemon art pieces to put on her computer desk. This past week when I told her about the doll I'd bought and the cost, she just said it was my money to do with what I wanted and admired how finely detailed the dolls and their clothing were. She even teased me about how she was going to be a 'Grandma' to this doll. She's so silly.

Dad... well, yeah. Never ever telling him about this.

 

I'm living with my bf, so he is the person who has to stand my dolls the most. He doesn't comment about them too much, but I know that he doesn't like the prices of the dolls at all. Sometimes he comments my mold choices, like WHY did you buy that one! He doesn't like child dolls, but I do. :p Thought he has been talking of getting an own SD-sized girl for himself because I don't have any. Maybe he is starting to get more used to them after these few years we have been living together...

When I lived with my parents no-one really cared about my hobby because I only had 1-3 dolls. And I didn't tell the full price that I had paid for them. My mom was the only one who was even a bit interested when she saw my first doll. Thought that doesn't mean that she understood them... She still mentions the dolls to my relatives now and then, and makes jokes about how I'm already too old for dolls. But she doesn't mean anything bad, I hope. Mom even bought an sewing machine for me as a b-day present few years ago.

 

if my parents found out, they'd start lecturing me about how i spend my money. -_-
and if they found out i was saving up for one they'd freak out.
and if they knew how much they cost... dear lord. xD

i'm trying to save up for one and my friend agreed to help me order it so problem solved and my parents are none the wiser

 

Actually they like it.
My mom knows how much BJD's cost and she thinks they are expensive but worth it.
And my dad doesn't know how pricy they are but everytime when I show him a new doll he is like: "Heeey, nice doll!"

So overall they accept it and they think my BJD's are pretty. But I don't know how they'll react if I get more (now I own 3)

By the way, my mom likes the SD size best

 

Ｗｅｌｌ　Ｍｙ　ｍｏｍ　ＬＯＶＥＳ　ｉｔ．　Ｓｈｅ’ｓ　ｓａｖｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｗａｎｔｓ　ｔｏ　ｇｅｔ　ｈｅｒ　ｏｗｎ　ｂｕｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｎｏｗ，　ｓｈｅ’ｓ　ｌｉｖｉｎｇ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ｍｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｈａｔ　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｈｅｌｐｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｐｉｃｋ　ｏｕｔ　ｔｈｉｎｇｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｍｙ　ｄｏｌｌ　ｆｏｒ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｈｅ　ａｒｒｉｖｅｓ；　ｃｌｏｔｈｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｈａｉｒ　ａｎｄ　ｓｕｃｈ．　Ｓｈｅ’ｓ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｈｏｏｋｅｄ　ｏｎ　ＤｏＡ　ｈｅｒｓｅｌｆ！　Ｍｙ　ａｕｎｔ　ｔｈｉｎｋｓ　ｉｔｓ　ａ　ｗａｓｔｅ　ｏｆ　ｍｏｎｅｙ．．．ａｓ　ｄｏｅｓ　ｍｙ　ｕｎｃｌｅ　＞．＞
Ｉ　ｇｅｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｗｈｏｌｅ　’ｙｏｕ’ｒｅ　ａｎ　ａｄｕｌｔ　ｙｏｕ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｓａｖｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｍｏｎｅｙ　ｆｏｒ　ｈｏｕｓｅ　ａｎｄ　ｃａｒ　ａｎｄ　ｂｉｌｌｓ　ａｎｄ　ｙａｄａｙａｄａｙａｄａ．．．
Ｍｙ　ｇｒａｎｄｍａ　ｔｈｉｎｋｓ　ｔｈｅｙ’ｒｅ　ｎｉｃｅ　ａｎｄ　ｌｉｋｅｓ　ｔｈｅｍ．　Ｓｈｅ　ｕｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｂｕｙ　ｍｅ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔａｂｌｅ　ｄｏｌｌｓ　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｙｏｕｎｇｅｒ　ｓｏ　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｓｈｅ’ｓ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｉｔ．　Ｍｙ　ｃｏｕｓｉｎｓ　ｋｅｅｐ　ｔｒｙｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｍｅ　ｄｏｌｌｓ　Ｉ　ｍａｙ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈａｒｔ　ａｒｅｎ’ｔ　ａｓ　ｅｘｐｅｎｓｉｖｅ；　Ｂｌｙｔｈｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｓｕｃｈ．．．ａｎｄ　ｍｙ　ｆｉａｎｃｅ，　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｈｅ’ｓ　ｔｅｒｒｉｆｉｅｄ　ｏｆ　ｄｏｌｌｓ，　ｉｓ　ｒｅａｄｙ　ｔｏ　ｆｕｎｄ　ｍｅ　ａｎ　ａｒｍｙ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｘ３
Ｓｏ　ｙｅａｈ，　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｏｓｔ　ｐａｒｔ　ｍｙ　ｆａｍｉｌｙ　ｉｓ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅｍ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｂｂｙ～

 

UPDATE: Since I have had a few people come over and see my resin babies I have a few updates.

Brother - He was here for the summer and saw my 1/3 size girl. He still thinks they are creepy and he was actually so freaked out he didn't even want to touch her or look at her. However he was open enough to understand it is my interest/hobby.

Parents - They are here for a week or so and I still can't tell for sure. My dad didn't really say anything, just sort of in his usual non-chalant way said, "Hmm... okay." He isn't the type that gets really enthused though. My mom thought my Ante was super cute and got really excited over my Feeple. I don't think she's going to get any herself but she really appreciated the art of faceups.

Friends - Once again I have one friend that is into the hobby as well so she loves them. She actually purchased my PukiPuki Cupid from me (just too small for me) so we get to share BJD ideas. My other friends' reactions range from weirded out to almost rude (in the sense that they look down on it and think us BJD owners must be really strange) to mildly curious.

 

I often get lectures about how much I spend on clothes u.u'
But apart from that my parents don't really comment much.
My dad says if I want to collect them I can and my mum loves my two boys ^_^ they creep my boyfriend out though lols and he says they just look like girls especially Ani x3

 

I am new to the BJD world, I do not own any yet though. Just recently I have finally decided to seriously start putting money aside so I can get my dream doll. I discovered these a few years ago and when my family members and friends saw how much the large elf dolls/EID dolls can cost they just shook their head or said "that's just silly". Hubby supports whatever my interests are and he has never said anything hurtful but I know he thinks it's rather silly. I guess they just don't understand why we like/want them.

Who else has people in their lives who discourage them or say it's silly/stupid because it's "just a doll?" What do you say? Has it ever swayed you from making a purchase? I feel almost embarrassed to tell people that I want a $600+ doll lol

 

Yep, I sure can identify with you! My mom supports me, but I won't tell my dad or even show him my dolls! That is why I love it here! So many dolly people! We all have our own opinions and tastes, but we all understand the why we must have BJDs!

 

Lets seee.....

My one of my sisters is the one who introduced the family to bjd. In fact my mom helped me pickout my first doll. ^.^ So they are cool about it... Just my girlfriend who had an issue with it for a while. Whenever I mentioned my Mina she would tease me, "oh so you're shopping for your Favorite Girl???" But after a couples years she came to accept it... She is even getting her own doll! ^.^

 

My family was extraordinarily supportive, they surprised me! Since I mentioned I wanted to save up for a BJD, they've been giving me bits of money here and there to help with the savings. (though they still unnerve my mother from the pictures I've shown her, she's never liked any type of dolls)
My father offered to lend me his paypal to buy my first doll from DDE, because I don't have my own set up yet. I think that's so sweet of them, to be supportive even if they don't necessarily like the dolls.

 

I haven't told my mother how much they cost because she might faint. My sisters think they're really cool and one of them even wants to get one for herself. But they both think its way to much money and they're not sure if its worth it. The rest of my family doesn't really know about the hobby, mostly cause I don't talk about it with them.

 

My dad doesn't care. As long as we can pay with Paypal, he's 'meh' about the dollies in general.
My mom seems not to care, but I can tell she likes them. She made a comment about how much better Amser looked with his new wig, and that he looks a lot 'less mean' than he did before.
My sister loves them and wants one when she gets older.
My brother thinks they're pretty cool.

...Nobody objects. XD

 

My fiance and sister are supportive. but I'm not even telling my parents if I can help it.

 

Mom first thought it was a little strange when I expressed an interest in dolls. As a child my interest in them was fleeting at best, before I went on to dinosaurs, Power Ranger figures, and... Bratz dolls...

Mom's main concern with the whole idea was paying so much for something... that something being a *doll.* But now that I am working and earning my own wages, I'm free to do with my money as I will, so long as my financial obligations are seen to within the household (I live with some family).

Of course the rest of my family gave me odd looks, but I can't say that their opinion matters to me.

 

My husband and his brothers look me wierdly, because they all are petrified by dolls in general, I do not know why. My hubby has learned to tolerate them. I have been showing him pictures and making him involved to picking up dolls in my wishlist ("Ok, so if that doll would come here, would you sleep at night?"). This has been huge difference, and he doesn't seem to be bother by them so much anymore.

My parents and my brothers... Well, let's just say that I have been collecting warhammer miniatures about 10 years now, so "expensive collecting hobby, oh my!"- phase has been long come. My bros see them just as big minitures you can customise, you can't paly with them, but hey, you can photographe them instead!