Do you feel bad?

[TheDirtyDigger]

There is a bit of an omymoron there. If most of didn't get toys as a kid, we wouldn't bother collecting Transformers now would we?

Not so much an oxymoron but part of my ultimate master plan as Supreme Ruler to rid the world of wasteful and ineffecient practices and products such as toys and fantasy and to have the populace all focused on what I know to be the single most important goal our species should have, which is getting into space and colonising it.
All eyes up citizens!

Also I am in the process of structuring a "wage" for my kid for all his chores he will have to do when he is older. That way if he wants a decent TF he'll have to work for it and hopefully he'll appreciate it and not wreck it.

Excellent and intelligent Bobby.
That which we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly.

[Omega Supreme]

I have come to the decision that Im selling off all my toys and only keeping my g1 & universe transformers, which I consider collectables. I feel comfortable with this decision because quite simply, everything Im keeping an average parent couldn't justify purchasing for their children.

Even before deciding to sell off all my extra stuff I did not collect the Animated line as I feel that Animated is the TF line for kids of today. My theory is, let the kids get all the Animated things now to build up a childhood love of TF's, then once they grow they can get into the more collectable figures, such as G1, Universe and MPs and whatever else the future holds.

[Sky Shadow]

I've had situations at my stalls where grown men have bought hundreds of dollars of collectibles, but have told their children that they can't have anything. In those cases I've always given the kids free Spychangers or McDonalds Transformers - the toys don't mean much to me, but might brighten the kids' day. Or hour anyway.

I feel the whole thing is a tough call - if children are given too many toys by their parents then they aren't developing a work ethic and may get the message that good things will just be thrown at them. I also have issues with the materialistic nature of Transformers - I find there's something just a bit disturbing about having a massive accumulation of toys. That's one of the reasons why I choose to have a different 'collection' to many of the other chosen collection aesthetics of the board - mine ebbs and flows - I buy new toys and sell old toys so I never have too many at one time.

Parenting is hard - parents sacrifice a lot for their children, so it's nice for them to be able to treat themselves once in a while. For mothers, that's often on clothes, shoes or handbags. For fathers, it's usually some sort of toy or gadget, whether automotive, electrical, or - in 'our' case - Transformer.

[i_amtrunks]

I've had situations at my stalls where grown men have bought hundreds of dollars of collectibles, but have told their children that they can't have anything. In those cases I've always given the kids free Spychangers or McDonalds Transformers - the toys don't mean much to me, but might brighten the kids' day. Or hour anyway.

Thats something I've never understood, parents buying themselves heaps of stuff and not getting their kid something. Unless its for a present I cannot fathom not buying someone else (especially a dependant) something if you are spoiling yourself.

You probably make those kids hours in the present, but hopefully they probably remember getting those spychangers more fondly as they grow older.

[Hereticpoo]

That which we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly.

Thats quite profound DD. Quote of the week.

[GoktimusPrime]

I would like my future children to earn their toys as rewards as part of a merit system. I've tried this once before on a friend's son where I bought a Legends Optimus Prime toy - kept it MOSC and told him that he could have it if he could maintain 10 points after 1 week. Each time he misbehaved he would lose 1 point but any time he would do something praiseworthy he would earn 1 point. His points went up and down throughout the week, but by the end of the week he had earnt back all lost points and had a total score of 10, so I gave him the toy.

And I think that Transformers are quite intelligent toys. There's the problem-solving/puzzle aspect that comes from transforming them as well as the imagination and creativity that comes from playing with them as well as experiencing the mythology through cartoons and comic books etc.

If my kid ever asked me why I have more toys than him/her I would simply point out that my collection has been acquired over 25+ years -- it's not as if I had 1274 Transformers when I was in primary school! (yeah, you know you're old whenever you use the words "When I was your age..."!)

[Vector Sigma 13]

Thats something I've never understood, parents buying themselves heaps of stuff and not getting their kid something. Unless its for a present I cannot fathom not buying someone else (especially a dependant) something if you are spoiling yourself.

It happens a lot more than you think! Its like the guys who turn up to car shows with these awesome tricked up cars and along side are their kids dressed in ratty old hand me downs.

Regarding the points system Gok, i think it depends on the age of the child. I tried this on my 4-5 year old and it didnt work. Nowadays i just reward good/ excellent behavior accordingly and remind him that bad behavior will gain him absolutely nothing. All kids are different though.

I have found that his Nintendo DS is quite a bargaining chip ( I still think he is too young for it but the women folk bought it for him). I think ive had it more than he has! Its not that he cant play it- getting him off of it when he is told is next to impossible which results in an argument and the DS is sent to daddys impound yard!

[Tiby]

I've never thrown away a toy, so for me this isn't about playthings, it is about taking care of something that brings me enjoyment and continues to do so. Many, many of my friends wrecked and/or threw away their toys, always moving on to the next thing. I value what I have and hope my children will learn from that example. They mean more to me because I have kept them since my childhood and it is a kind of timeline of my growing up. Whatever else was happening, there were always Transformers.

Each series is a placeholder for a part of my life.

So I guess I don't see them as toys in the traditional sense - playthings, educational aides, etc - but a specific hobby.

It's no different to playing sport and spending a lot of time doing that, or photography and having all the gear, or doing up a car, or modding a computer, etc etc. And it certainly is not as bad as gambling or overindulging in alcohol etc.

I guess it all depends on whether it is a hobby for you, or simply toys to play with for a time.

[TheDirtyDigger]

It's no different to playing sport and spending a lot of time doing that, or photography and having all the gear, or doing up a car, or modding a computer, etc etc. And it certainly is not as bad as gambling or overindulging in alcohol etc.

It's very different from playing sport. Almost polar opposites as far as pasttimes go. However collecting Tf's is very similar to those other hobbies you mentioned and definitely not as bad as gambling or overindulging in alcohol.

[jgon2098]

I never feel bad. Because when it does. Its time to change hobbies. I personally dont even play with the "toys". I just stare and marvel at the intricacies of the boxes, and I see the figures as improving the overall aestheticness of the box. I will leave the "playing" to my future kids. I'll just make sure to teach them how to do it first...so that they dont snap a mirage in half, which I have done 3 times or hurt themself playing with fort max.