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

I totally talk to my dolls! But then again, I'm eccentric and tend to like to talk to inanimate objects such as my oil portraits of people and living things.
I certainly have enlightening conversations with my pet bird. But back to dolls. I don't change their clothes every day and treat them like REAL living people. Sometimes I don't even touch them for days. But yes, I do talk. I set my RS Long doll (70 cm) up in a chair in my living room so he can always be a part of my company. Do I have a problem with other people not treating their dolls lovingly? OF COURSE NOT. It's kinda unhealthy to worry and harass people about how they are treating their own property, don't you think?

 

I think I don't consider them anything of above, they're not inanimated but they're not my friends or so.. I don't talk to them but they have a certain way to communicate with me, their poses, their eyes, it's like their telling me they want to do "that thing" and I help them xP
maybe I consider them like children? in the photostories I write "mom" when they refer to me, but they're all tiny...if I had a bigger doll she would call me with my name I guess..

 

I'm more on the mom side. It may be because I have grown children, but no grandchildren, perhaps? I haven't put a lot of thought into before. I think I channel my maternal feelings into my mini children now that my nest is getting empty.

 

I talk to them sometimes when i take them out and stuff . To me they have their own characters and souls , so I dont really know how to categorize that.

 

I talk to the, apologize them if I handled them too hard, hug them..and well, somehow I like to think that they all have their own personalities and souls, since all my dolls are based on my own roleplay -characters. So..yeah. I won't say that they are like children to me, but somehow they are..between a children and a friend, I think o.o''

 

I like to think of my dolls as...Friends who won't ever EVER tell your secrets. You can tell everything to them and they won't tell a soul. I sometimes catch myself talking to them but it's kind of like: "Oh what am I gonna do with you?" Sometimes...And I admit this sounds crazy but sometimes I vent my problems to them...Sure they can't give me advice but sometimes I don't WANT advice I just need to rant and rage and let it out and the dolls are always there..Night or day.

 

Mine are a combination of both. I have four off-topic dolls but HOPEFULLY my first BJD will get here this morning. I don't actually play with them or treat them as friends or family, but beings I make stuff for them I have given them personalities so I can keep straight in my head what I am making for who. Also, I LOVE the looks I get when people look at me and then look at my dolls and then realize they are mine and not my daughter's lol. (I am a guy to begin with, stand 6'4" and weigh in at 240 pounds, an ex-army ranger, ride a Harley, and dress like a biker.)

 

One third of the way between an inanimate object and a friend... :P I think we all want our dolls to be our "friends" to a degree, cos the alternative to that is the-creepy-doll-in-the-corner-that-you-haven't-bonded-with =.= But for me a doll will always be an image of beauty as well, to be dressed up and customised in order to be admired. In that sense it's more like a pretty painting or a mannequin, and an inanimate object. Sometimes I wonder if I treat this hobby too coldly ^^;

 

This is a rather difficult question to answer for me. On one hand, since my dolls- particularly Philippe, embody characters that previously existed...I show them the affection and companionship I feel towards that character. Philippe is actually a perfect example of this since he is not only the doll that got me into BJD's, but he's the doll based on one of my most cherished book characters. I've been writing about Philippe since I was....in middle school- and I'm 23 years old now, so I've been traversing imagination with him for an extended period of time. Putting him into a more physical form has not only helped developed his character in my work, but has made me feel closer to him. So yes, I do keep him near and mumble to him about things or even hold him when I'm sad- which is weird because Philippe is a psychopathic, monstrous entity...ahem. Anyway. With the other two, I'm not as attached, Alexander is still new, so I'm still getting used to his vain quirks and Diva I love in a more artistic fashion. Already, she is so interesting. That said, when I'm done playing with them, I sit them on the shelf and may not touch any of them for days at a time and it doesn't bother me because in the end, they're still just dolls. They won't be offended if I'm too tired or busy to take them down and fuss with them, nor do they need food or physical necessities. So I guess I'm on both sides of the fence. c__c

 

I will go more friend side than child. My dolls character is more independent type so that defines her.

 

I'll probably treat my doll as a very prized inanimate object. I'm just not the type to go all out on it. Its really just something to give me creative inspiration.

 

I usually treat mine like... Hmm, something between like a child and a friend. I don't really talk to them much, but I pamper them as if they were alive sometimes. Lol

I find it really weird the idea of not at least kind of treat dolls almost like a living thing, because they can look so life-like...

 

My dolls are like veery good friends to me, to hwom I can tell all my secerts

 

To me it goes just like chromatic said.
I don't consider myself their friend or their mother. They have their own story which has nothing to do with me. But still, if I ever do a photostory or something, I would make them call me "Mom" or something like that.

Holding their little hands or just having them right next to me makes me feel comfortable. I'm between the mother and the friend side.

 

Somewhere between friend, pet, and inanimate object, I guess. Some of them seem to project a very strong personality. Blaze, my first, refuses to even try on anything remotely masculine. Maybe she's channeling some of my own insecurities of not looking like a woman! I like holding them and say things to them sometimes, but then I tend to think furniture moves so I can walk into it. Well, not really. I do personify my dolls and things that frustrate me.

 

I treat them like friends/special inanimate object and also piece of ART!! They are expensive and very beautiful. I can spend my free time sewing, design, drawing,...for them without boring And I talk to them sometimes. It may make people feel scary...hahaha...but I talk to other non-BJD, my plants and even my camera. I guess it's just my habit and I actually name everything I like, not just only doll.

 

I treat my dolls as inanimate objects in the times I'm not very into dolls-times, but there's other times in which I like to 'play' with them again, and I like to talks with them... so I think I treat my dolls as friends! They reflects ourself after all, so when I talks to them, is like I'm talking to a part of myself... it's difficutl to explain, but it's all about imagination and love the magic things!

 

For me dolls are inanimate objects, works of art. I treat them with respect as I treat all the things which I find really important to me (not always expensive; I have some items which I hold dear regardless their price or something). I rarely leave them half dressed unless it's a making process, and usually they are carefully placed into their installations. But they are things. I can put them into boxes if I don't plan on working on their designs in the nearest future, I rarely talk to them. They are like beautiful sculptures, representing my ideas and feelings but it's nothing compared to real people.

 

This maybe a bit weird to say, rather than see them as children or friends or anything like that, I feel like I'm an invisible entity to them. My dolls have stories and because I'm the writer of their stories, I interact with them as though I am the God in their story. Not to say that I am god, but I am in the sense that I can change the way they act or parts of their stories. I hope that made sense to whoever's reading this. ^^;;

 

I treat mine as objects but I'm also really nice to them because of the whole "what if they magically come alive one day i don't want them being mad at me." I mean I know they're just objects...