http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/richard-lego-saved-my-life-646514 This article about Richard Hammond from Top Gear might help push your case, he said he might never have got his brain functioning back after an accident that nearly killed him a few years back, if it hadn't been for Lego.

My father bought a lot of LEGO for me as a kid that was really for him, i know he enjoyed it as much if not more than me as he always had time to build with me no matter what. He especially liked the trains, even the un-powered ones. Ther is something good about swoshing a train along the tracks, not sure what when you can remote control it, but there is.

Anyway, he always justified it as he used it to teach me maths and the basics of engineering etc. He would say "pass me a red 2X2 brick" or what ever. I would try to find it. So you could start with that.

Would it also help to maybe buy a creator or just one of those boxes of bricks? If you did that you could use it to spark imagination for your daughter and yourself rather than being tied to a particular model. It could then be used over and over so whilst expensive to start with but then the expense would lessen once you had a good understanding of what you could and could not build.

My advice:

1) If you want the set for yourself, say so. Don't use your daughter as an excuse.

2) If you want the set for both of you, say so. If this is the case, then buy sets which are appropriate for her, not you.

3) If people important to you think it is too expensive, and it is actually their business to know, then tell them flat out how much you expect to spend in a year / per-month. Tell them how much you actually spend too. If they think it's too much, that's going to be between you and your spouse/parent/in-law.

4) Justifying to others that LEGO is a valid hobby is different from justifying how much money to spend on it.

Also, if someone thinks there is any difference between adults playing with sets for those 16+ and those who are 5-12+, well, you're probably fooling yourself and possibly insecure about your own relationship to the hobby. All I care is if there are bricks in the set or not.

Also, if someone thinks there is any difference between adults playing with sets for those 16+ and those who are 5-12+, well, you're probably fooling yourself and possibly insecure about your own relationship to the hobby. All I care is if there are bricks in the set or not.

Thanks. That really puts it all in perspective with a certain Dr Phil feeling. I was wondering why this feeling of insecurity had enveloped me. :-)

A lot of people get back into Lego when they have kids, they then remember how great it was, and pretty soon, it is for them.

This is how I got back into it anyway. I loved Lego growing up, would sit and build for hours with it. I only stopped because I 'thought' I was too old for it. So it started out as a few sets for my daughter, then I wanted to build a town for her to play with, then I wanted to build better buildings and it didn't matter what she wanted. She was just happy to play with it all once it's built, which I always allowed. My nieces/nephews love coming over and playing with my town. It is a toy after all, and designed to be played with.

I don't 'play' with it though, I build/create. Sure people look at you funny when you say your hobby is Lego, but I have always found that changes dramatically when they see what you have done. Some people just don't understand Lego, even when they were kids, but that isn't your problem. When I started participating in a LUG, I was nervous for the first show, I thought it would be embarrassing to admit to other adults what I do as a hobby. But you know what, anyone who is there to see the show is going to love it, or their kids will, and that is all that matters. And just remember, the people who design this stuff are adults!

So you don't have to justify it to other people, provided you can justify it to yourself, and it isn't causing a rift between you and your partner, so what. If it brings enjoyment to you, in whichever form you use it, and it doesn't interfere with your life, then there is no problem, other people just have to accept it is a part of you and get over their preconceived perceptions of it as a toy as it is more than that.

And Off the wall, Friends is some of the best Lego you can buy, and I'm a male in my 30s. Sure, my daughter claims the whole layout as hers, but the truth is, she built very little of it and I buy most of it for me. I'm big into City, and I find the Friends sets better builds, and more variety then just more police cars/fire trucks. At our last expo, it received twice as many popularity votes than the superheroes/LOTR/Western displays, so it is very well liked by many people. Of course, if I sat down and 'played' with the minidolls, then I might happen to agree with you.

"No Sir, I didn't see you playing with your dolls again sir."

Help?

I think we've all experienced doubts from our loved ones at one time or another as we came out of the Dark Ages, but in the great scheme of things Lego is a very benign vice to have. It's social, creative, educational, fun and mentally stimulating.

As a kid Lego is an easy hobby to have; Birthday and Christmas presents and pocket money can be used without question to build up the collection. It's accepted without question, but the challenge we all face is how to approach Lego as a mature, sensible adult (YEAH RIGHT!). Here's what I've learnt (although your mileage may vary)

• Set yourself a modest monthly budget and other than ridiculous to-good-to-pass sale opportunities that come up try not to waver from it.
  
• You really don't have to explain to anyone why you find Lego so compelling - there's no justification needed. Be proud of it!
  
• Embed Lego throughout your life (Facebook posts and pictures, Lego calendar on the desktop at work, MOCs on display somewhere - in your home, but especially public places, Lego case for the iPhone, etc.). Be yourself!
  

I work as a Maths Ninja for a Tech company and I used to get a fair amount of grief about Lego at work until I showed them pictures of my MOCs. Once they saw the effort that went into the creations and the results those comments ceased. Now I get asked questions from some of them about what sets to buy their kids at Christmas and I was recently asked to build a MOC of main office.

Honestly it gets easier as more people know your Lego addiction - just stick with it and know there's a bunch of us rooting for you across the world.

One of the greatest things I learned as an adult is that I don't owe (most) people explanations.

Just leave some of your more awesome sets/MOCs on display - more often than not most visitors will admire them with awe and/or nostalgia rather than look at you strangely.

Alternatively breed a couple of kids and then you have a great excuse to have toys lying around.

Edited December 6, 201311 yr by TeufelHund

I'm very lucky in the fact that I have an AFOL girlfriend, a toy collecting best friend, a close AFOL friend and nerdy workmates. Even my boss (who can be a bit uptight at times) admitted that he loved building Star Wars Lego with his two young sons when he saw the 8092 Landspeeder on my desk.

Obviously there is a theme here. Own it, be proud, you don't need to justify anything to anyone, etc...

I think the main concern for me would be are you spending too much on this hobby? Yes, hobbies cost money. Yes, you are enjoying it with your daughter. But if you have to spend 2 weeks pay on one set, that may remove other important things in your life that are more essential than plastic bricks.

I know my wife is understanding and supportive about it, but I know there are other things I can spend my money on/time on. I also have a daughter so some of it does go with her. She likes building together or playing with certain figures. I tend to try to build and not too much play unless she wants to play. I did get back into LEGO after we had our baby, but it wasn't because of her. It was something I did in my own time. It does bring back a good feeling from my childhood to enjoy it again and I'd love to share that with our daughter.

I think the end result is, are you making ends meet otherwise, and is anyone feeling left out (significant other??)? You mention they play video games, that is a big time sucker right there. Plus games can be expensive also. It's just priorities and that's not a big deal. But I know when I started dating my now wife, she basically banned video games because they have impacted too many of her previous relationships. I accepted it because I didn't have a lot of time to juggle games, a girlfriend, and grad school. Now I don't miss video games or even notice that I don't play them. I don't have time anyway. Again, priorities.

Edited December 6, 201311 yr by TheLegoDr

Priorities are always important. Parents just don't have the freedom to buy whatever they want or spend their time however they want. But I don't get the feeling the OP was about making ends meet, spending too much or impacting relationships. It seemed more like a simple, "I'm embarrassed to tell my loved ones that this Lego set is really for me", and my response was based on that.

When I came out of my dark age, and went digging through my parents basement to claim my childhood Lego, they did look at me a little oddly. They said that they kept them hoping I'd give them to my future children, not play with them myself as an adult. I guess they were wrong People always have an opinion of what's "appropriate" for an adult, but what matters most is how you feel about it. I'm to the point in my life where I don't care what people think about me. I am who I am. My "play area" is filled with collectibles most people would consider toys, along with my built Lego creations, etc.

What I find funny is that people will give me strange looks when I tell them I build Lego as an adult, but then I have to drag them away from them because they can't stop playing with the models. At one point I had all of my classic space sets built and put into a big scene on a table (pictures in the brickshelf gallery in my sig). My adult friends would come over just to play with it, and they were all sad when I had to take it down due to my limited space. I think people feel "funny" about playing with Lego because they feel like it's something they shouldn't be interested in, it's a kiddie thing. In reality, Lego can and should be enjoyed for a lifetime. Be proud of your Lego obsession, own it, and ignore the naysayers! They probably just wish they had your collection

Show them the two Lego milling machines made by Arthur Sacek ... you'll find them on youtube.

I came out of my dark ages in 1979, before many of you youngin's were born!

By the early 1980s I was attempting to order thousands of spare parts from TLG in Connecticut (to no avail)... However they did keep my name on file. In 1985 I built a display window for a resale toy shop called "Moms Toy Attic" in my hometown. 2 months later I got a call from the local newspaper, and they wanted to do a special on a 32 year old guy who builds large LEGO creations. I freaked out almost... because none of my friends knew about this, and I was worried how my friends and co-workers would react. So the article came out and they saw it. Surprisingly they were all most supportive and positive about it. Some drove 10 miles just to see my display window!

A year later I got a call from Henry Wiencek the author of THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS book... he wanted to include me (the only AFOL) in his book. So he mentions me on page 30. Then 3 months later I got another phone call from TLG... they wanted to send a representative to my house to check out my collection. I showed it to them, and they thanked me. A month later I got a phone call from CBC Canada, the Canadian national TV network. They were doing a special on 25 years of LEGO in Canada on their 10PM show THE JOURNAL. Since I lived in metro Detroit (right next to the Canadian border), they sent a crew down from Toronto to film and interview me. The show aired in early 1987 with a 82 year old lady from Saskatchewan who built the Canadian Provincial Parliament buildings of LEGO, a collector in Montreal who was the forerunner of Bricklink bin storage, and myself who built a cathedral, some office towers and other buildings out of LEGO. After it was aired (metro Detroit got the Canadian TV signal) I got a call from my 6th grade school teacher who said she was so very proud of me.

So back before the days of the internet building with LEGO... it WAS something to hide over... and coming out of the "LEGO closet" was a terrifying thing. But today... with all that is available online, with the hundreds of thousands of fellow collectors out there... being afraid should no longer be an option for you! If anyone does make fun of you (and there are always a few "Eddie Haskell" types)... then just tell them that you're laughing all the way to the bank!

Wow! LEGO Historian, that is quite a story. I am impressed.

I just noticed your "Title / tagline undre your name". If you are older than ABS how old am I?

Never too old!

Andy D

I came out of my dark ages in 1979, before many of you youngin's were born!

By the early 1980s I was attempting to order thousands of spare parts from TLG in Connecticut (to no avail)... However they did keep my name on file. In 1985 I built a display window for a resale toy shop called "Moms Toy Attic" in my hometown. 2 months later I got a call from the local newspaper, and they wanted to do a special on a 32 year old guy who builds large LEGO creations. I freaked out almost... because none of my friends knew about this, and I was worried how my friends and co-workers would react. So the article came out and they saw it. Surprisingly they were all most supportive and positive about it. Some drove 10 miles just to see my display window!

A year later I got a call from Henry Wiencek the author of THE WORLD OF LEGO TOYS book... he wanted to include me (the only AFOL) in his book. So he mentions me on page 30. Then 3 months later I got another phone call from TLG... they wanted to send a representative to my house to check out my collection. I showed it to them, and they thanked me. A month later I got a phone call from CBC Canada, the Canadian national TV network. They were doing a special on 25 years of LEGO in Canada on their 10PM show THE JOURNAL. Since I lived in metro Detroit (right next to the Canadian border), they sent a crew down from Toronto to film and interview me. The show aired in early 1987 with a 82 year old lady from Saskatchewan who built the Canadian Provincial Parliament buildings of LEGO, a collector in Montreal who was the forerunner of Bricklink bin storage, and myself who built a cathedral, some office towers and other buildings out of LEGO. After it was aired (metro Detroit got the Canadian TV signal) I got a call from my 6th grade school teacher who said she was so very proud of me.

So back before the days of the internet building with LEGO... it WAS something to hide over... and coming out of the "LEGO closet" was a terrifying thing. But today... with all that is available online, with the hundreds of thousands of fellow collectors out there... being afraid should no longer be an option for you! If anyone does make fun of you (and there are always a few "Eddie Haskell" types)... then just tell them that you're laughing all the way to the bank!

This was a wonderful read. It seems like you and Lego have been together for quite a while now! And yes, I still hide the fact that I collect Lego to some people, but it's comments like these that make me want to go outside and admit to the world that I buy Lego, and that's that!

LEGO Historian - thanks for sharing. I've picked up bits and pieces from your posts, but never as complete as this. Very interesting. There are times I feel embarrassed about LEGO, but most people that know seem to be interested, even if they aren't fans themselves. I think confidence is key here. I consider hiding anytime someone comes to me about LEGO, but then I own it and all is well. If they don't like it, then I guess that is their problem.

I read something recently "what other people think of me is none of my business."

Edited December 8, 201311 yr by TheLegoDr

I've had a successful career. I play with lego. End of story. No rationalizations needed.

Step 1, e-mail your Mum an article talking about the "Brony" hobby. And all the wonderful tales from there. Throw in some Brony fan fiction just to liven things up.

Stap 2, anything you do after that with Lego will be perfectly fine. Just so long as you show no signs of being a "Brony".

I've had a successful career. I play with lego. End of story. No rationalizations needed.

Says it all. Nothing further need be said to anyone. How I feel!

Andy D

Step 1, e-mail your Mum an article talking about the "Brony" hobby. And all the wonderful tales from there. Throw in some Brony fan fiction just to liven things up.

Stap 2, anything you do after that with Lego will be perfectly fine. Just so long as you show no signs of being a "Brony".

Ugh, I think there are some Bronies on this site, I don't want to point out any names, but I'd be careful what you say, you don't a fluffy pink horse pooping on your doorstep at night now do you?

My advice is to just describe LEGO building as a hobby — and if you do a lot of MOCing, as a creative hobby. You don't owe anyone any more explanation than that. People who think that adults and kids can't or shouldn't enjoy the same things are behind the curve and probably in denial — after all, there are plenty of things like sports that society has arbitrarily decided are appropriate for kids and adults alike, even though they are inherently a kind of play.

If your friends and family seem to think you're wasting your money, just find some things you COULD be spending your money on to compare it to. And perhaps look up the resale price of some older LEGO sets on eBay and Bricklink if they need convincing that LEGO sets are a worthwhile investment. Once you show people that with proper care a set is likely to appreciate in value, they should be a little bit more willing to look beyond the original cost of the set.

All in all, you can't expect everyone to understand the things that interest you. It's just not realistic unless you're willing to let other people shape the course of your life. But at the same time, if you let people know that you're committed to something and not afraid of other people's judgment, then they will usually stop trying to argue about it and will learn to either accept it, or ignore it completely.

Ugh, I think there are some Bronies on this site, I don't want to point out any names, but I'd be careful what you say, you don't a fluffy pink horse pooping on your doorstep at night now do you?

Haha! It's alright. I'm not ashamed about being a brony, but if using that and other fandoms as a point of comparison helps you get your family to accept or approve of your LEGO hobby, go right ahead. But I still recommend finding more mainstream sorts of interests to compare it to, like music or sports (how many LEGO sets could you buy for the price of tickets to a big-name concert or sporting event?)

Edited December 8, 201311 yr by Aanchir

Lukewarmtea,

You should be proud of the fact that you spend time building LEGO with your daughter! You could just park her in front of a TV or an iPad 15 hours a day and ignore her like lots of the parents in the US. I, too, began playing with LEGO when my son turned 3, and we have had many good times building things. The TV was there for a movie now and then, but never hooked up to stations and used as a babysitter for more than an hour or two.

By the time he was four, my son could build most sets following instructions, and developed excellent motor skills. The LEGO were an investment in his future as well as a hobby for both of us. We have all of his sets from the Nineties, and he is still fond of what he built back then and recently. At 25 he still builds sometimes and is welcome to use the LEGO we have collected as a family. We all are looking forward to building LEGO with his children when that time comes.

About five years ago I began collecting for myself....mostly pastel colors and female figures. My favorite themes are Friends, Duplo and Architecture. I have seen amazing adult builds with Duplo and don't feel that they are just for children. It is nice that we can view our collections as investments in well made products, which last several generations unlike most "toys."

So please hold your head up high and enjoy spending time building with your daughter. She is recording everything you do and learning all of the time. You are setting a great example for her showing how building things is fun. And continue building for yourself....everyone deserves some time off for creative play. Wish I had begun collecting for myself 30 years earlier!

If you've ever been to any kind of 'con (comic con, etc), you will find that there is no shortage of adults collecting toys. Adults collect match box cars, model trains, comic books, etc. My uncle has a big display cabinet of antique die cast toys from his childhood (that are worth a lot of money, I might add). Is Lego really any different from those things in terms of collecting? I went to a local comic con with my wife this past summer and there a lot of adults buying toys. There was even a Lego booth filled with adults.

Geek culture is mainstream now. Be proud of your Lego addiction, I know I am

I recently started spending a lot of money in Lego sets to fulfill a desire to have my office ornamented with them. We always bought Legos for our daughters, but now I can't hide and will not hide that I am buying expensive sets FOR ME! (by expensive I mean sets of up to $250, retail price, never from parallel market). At a certain point, my wife was thinking that I was going crazy but I just told her: "It makes me happy!".

I am lucky because she understands and trusts me that my madness has a point and an end.

Also, despite my strong desire to assemble them myself (I am an enginner!), I let my younger daughter assemble them for me. I know she enjoys it and it is the least I can do for my family, considering how understandable they are to me... :classic: ... so far...