Treat dolls like children, friend, or simply just as an inanimate object?

It's...complicated.

I've said that BJDs will be the only children I'll ever have. I have no desire to have real children at all, so this is, in a way, true. However, I don't really treat the one BJD I own like a child. He's more like a friend most of the time, even if my roomie refers to me as his "Mommy" and I jokingly call her his "Auntie." I suppose it's really a mixture of friend/child/inanimate object. I've always been that way with my dolls, though. "Growing up" didn't really change that. They are companions to me, and it is no different with BJDs.

So, I guess it is safe to say that my "relationship" with my doll (soon to be dolls) is a combination of all of the above. When I've got his head off and I'm cleaning off/re-doing a faceup, he's inanimate. It's the same when he's put away, which is rare now. But once I've got his face done and his wig and clothes on, he's this little person sitting on my table.

I swear I'm not crazy.

 

Darling, no matter what you think, you ARE crazy, and we love you more for it! Because, in the end, we're all a little nutty. =D

I totally get what you mean though, I don't want kids either. My cat and dolls are the closest things to offspring that I'll ever have! Dolls have the appearance of children [well, some anyway] and the mannerisms of a cat, good companion, doesn't talk, but always watching, and ultimately depend on us.

Perhaps we treat our BJD's like children in the sense of devoting time to care for and maintain them? Sure we don't discipline or feed them, but we dress them up, keep them clean, do their hair, spend time with them and things like that.

 

Hmm, interesting question. I've seen both sides of the spectrum. To me, they're just hunks of plastic. Art-toys. Very expensive, definitely something I take care of and even fuss over to a degree. I shop for doll clothes more than my own. I joke around about the characters, I joke that "Ivan says this, or Micah says that." I do photo-stories for kicks and giggles and have them offer opinions on forums. It's just fun and silliness though. I don't hear them talking to me. Yet. hahahahaha, maybe one day that will come?

So sure, the characters which they represent are very special to me, I write stories about them, but the dolls themselves are just objects. I guess the example is, when a doll falls down, my first thought is, "oh crap, I hope it didn't chip, that will be expensive to replace/fix." There isn't an emotional reaction where I cradle the doll or weep in despair or anything.

Conversely, I do get attached to things (like pet rocks.) I liked the pet-rock comment earlier, very apropos. I don't let anyone hold them. I don't take them out of the house or get them dirty. If someone stole one, I'd be enraged. That's MY Micah. Plus he cost $300 bucks. I could replace him. But it wouldn't be the original. I'd adjust. But come on. Even though he is a hunk of plastic, he's MY little hunk of plastic. So there's that side of it too.

 

I for one can understand why those who treat their dolls like children would perceive those who don't as crazy or cruel and vice versa.
I personally don't see anything wrong with doing either. To each his own.

For me, though, it's always a little of both. Some dolls receive my attention 9 times out of 10 and some don't half the time. It's all a matter of mood, preference and type of day I'm having. I don't have set restrictions or anything like that. I can understand fussing over them. We want things to be just right!

 

What an interesting topic for discussion.

I am well aware that my dolls are not alive, however I take great pride in chatting with them when I interact with them change their clothes, eyes, or hair. I know in some cultures, BJDs are thought to have souls and by extension of that, personalities. I often think up elaborate backstories for my dolls that chronicle where they supposedly came from and the life that has brought them to where they are today in the particular outfit with the particular accessory combination.

 

Fair enough! I know I am among friends here, lol.

I think you put it perfectly. We all take great care to make sure our dolls stay in good shape and have a good home. It is similar to taking care of a living creature.

 

I do not see any similarities between dolls and any living creature. Living creature is a living creature, even if it's just a snail it might do not what u want from it, it has it's own sense of life. Dolls are objects, they will sit where u put them, they ll have eyes u choose for them, n there's gonna be zero feedback beside ur own feelings about it. Dolls are not alive and never will be, doesnt matter what our imagination tells us about it.
I do not care how other ppl treat their dolls, as dolls, children or kings, but for myself, I have clear grading. They are objects (of art) to me, I appreciate the difficult work of artist who created them, Im glad some of them can represent my ideas, but thats all. I do not worship them n they never be on the same level as anything alive for me.

 

well, I treat my doll like a living person. I'm not her mum (although sometimes I say "mummy is home!"), and I'm not her friend. she's someone to talk to when I want and I know she will listen to me. it's a special relationship that I have with things. I always talk to her, but I think I'm not crazy. I just need someone to talk with. it's like another me. I think that she will be happier if I pet her or I stay with her, but I know that it's only my own need.

 

I would honestly say I treat my doll like a person to some extent. maybe not entirely...like I'm not going to go buying him an extra plane ticket or anything. but when I have him out I often fix his wig, and make comments to him. maybe I have a bit of a bias because I reshelled and OC who I've had for years and already thought of as a person.

 

It's kind of complicated in my case. I've known my boy Louis for five years even before getting his resin body for him. So yes, I definetely interact with his character. But it's not like me talking to him, more like me actually being him, or at least the person he's currently with (his boyfriend, in most cases). So I'm more or less living out his life. It's very easy to say we're extremely close. But then there's his dollie form, which is, of course, also connected to him. So he's him, he's me and he's the dollie, all at the same time.
When it comes to the resin baby, I don't give him as much attention/time like his imaginary self out there. Still, it's Louis and so I love him to bits. I feel guilty everytime I leave him coffined inside his box (Yeah, I'm extremely worried about the daylight touching him, to make it even funnier, which is almost freaky.), or when I notice I forgot to change his clothes. Yet, when I take him out, I try to give him a realistic pose and leave him that way for the rest of the day. Constantly eyeing him, full of admiration. But there's not much playing with him. Still, there are times when I talk to him very affectionately, calling him my kitty-cat, as well as moments when I have to cuddle him no matter what. And these are more often than not.

 

mine are inanimate objects, beautiful collectibles. that said i also like to pose them as if they are real and sometimes talk about them as if they were, but i never really think it. it just seems natural to do that with anthropomorphic collectibles

 

I do not have my dollfie yet...
But...
I will treat her as if she has feelings.
But I will not go crazy.

I watched the movie, THE DOLL MASTER, (5th-6th grade, I believe. In college now) and this is what made me want to get a dollfie. This is also what gave me my slight phobia of dolls... Ironic that I still want one.

If you're curious. TDM is a Koran horror movie about Ball Jointed Dolls and their rumored souls.

I'm partially worried that if I don't love my doll, after I give it enough love/attention to give it a "soul", that it might try to kill me. NOT ALL THE TIME. Let me explain! o A o I get scared when it's dark. I'm alone, or it's rainy... You know. Horror flick scenarios! I don't want to abandon my doll, or make it sad. ; o ; Not even just because it might kill me! But because that it's just so cruel. ; o ;

But, that's just me. . u.
To each his/her own.~ c:

 

I have NEVER seen anyone treat their dolls with no love. (and if they did. I dont think they even get outside) Maybe its because they are so expensive people make sure to treat them carefully.

Though I do talk to my doll occationally, and feel bad when he's neglected for a week or two. I sometimes spend an afternoon or two with him, take him out for some photos and give him kisses and hugs when I need some comfort.

 

I have definitely talked to my girls and Joel before, but I'm the kind of person who will talk to pieces of paper if a drawing doesn't do what I want it too. I don't think I play with them constantly, but they are my little brain-children. I created their lives and their stories, so they're mine. And there is little likilihood I will ever have kids, it's genetically a problem for me, so it helps to have something I've created.

 

They are somewhere between an especially beautiful inanimate object (3/4) and kind of inspirited, yet not alive,object (1/4) or ...something. Can't really explain it for me but they're just dolls and on the other hand they're not. If that makes any sense.

 

Dolls are to me inanimate, but are an art form, so have their own soul, in a way...

Though... this is true for me too...

 

I think after you name them and make a character for them theres more emotion there. i think of Val and Alex as friends i talk to them once in a while and i dont know if its just me but on different days they seem to have a different expression sometimes Val looks extra frown-y or smiley

 

I treat them as though they have their own feelings, though not quite like a child or friend.

Sure call it strange, but I consider Soraya to be a part of me. To me, she represents my mentality and emotional health. She arrived to me at a very dire time for me and was with me for the entire year long struggle.
It's kind of hard to explain...

 

I'm careful with my dolls because they're very expensive and can't be replaced easily. But I don't like talk to them or have to take them with me when I leave a room or something.

 

Several people have put into words what I've tried to express about this whole 'dolls are people too' topic LOL It is the CHARACTERS the dolls represent that are 'alive' or interactive. I've got characters from various of my books/stories & also from other peoples' works of fiction that I've loved for decades. Putting one of those characters into 3 dimensions w/a BJD makes it that much easier to interact w/the character The doll however remains inanimate, an objet d'art . I do believe that well-loved or revered objects collect energy somehow but that's a whole different thing than thinking they live LOL