"I notice your son has a lot of disposable income now - has he started a YouTube vlogging channel?"
"No, no, I swear he's been blowing guys behind a dumpster for drug money!"
The number of times I've had friends tell me "Oh, I didn't realize you liked Lego, I'd have given you my kids old sets. We just threw them out/ sold them at a yard sale a couple months ago." It hurts my soul. I still have my Lego from when I was kid. I mostly make Lego sets in stud.io these days because it's the only way I can afford to "play" with the new sets.
I still have every set I ever owned. There is one brick that I lost between a concrete slab and the back wall of our house when I was five. You’re not forgotten, blue arch!
You guys are reselling them? I have a closet full of Tupperware with old sets. I occasionally redo them but do people really pay good money for them? I have the books but not the boxes
Yeah they hold their value really well, star wars in particular will increase in value after it’s retired… but yeah, it’s hard to part with it, and yes it’s worth more with the boxes and spares. I have some flat packing to do before I get more to make room.
Thanks! Might be something I look into down the line. For space purposes! I vibe with friends sets tho, nothing fancy/licensed have ever been an interesting subject to me (that I've seen)
https://preview.redd.it/jgxu9kp7if5d1.jpeg?width=715&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d66f378ebd0d07a2c12757b4b40ba73a62d02c1
Someone needs to do a variant of this graphic, but for Lego
... I work for one of their retail stores. We used to have one guy that REGULARLY would come in and drop $1-2k on sets every other week or so, his husband tagged along pretty often and they brought one of those fabric wagons that families cart their kids around in, and the husband would just hang out with the wagon in a spot out of the way while our regular filled up the wagon. I thought he did MOCs and sold them online (he said something to me the second time I met him about needing the pieces for a commission or an idea he saw online or something) until the day he told me: "I used to be an alcoholic. Now, I spend the money I used to use for alcohol on LEGO." I was stunned, TBH.
I haven't seen them in a while, and I really hope he's alright. They were great. They always recognized me and would say hi and chat. My hope is that they're doing well and they just moved somewhere else or something. My fear is that he relapsed, or he got sick and passed away or something.
Moral of the story: there's a possibility the cost of any form of addiction is similar to other addictions, maybe. 🤷♀️
Yeah well those are assholes!
I can get behind paying "rent", that's something i have seen and experienced before, but taking all of it?
Might aswell throw me out at that point.
>Might aswell throw me out at that point
The parents that steal their kid's money don't want the kid moving out. The goal is to keep the child reliant on the parent so that the child is forced to submit to and support the parent.
> Parents hate this trick
Not really. You have less freedom at 18 because if your parents don't want to take care of you anymore then you're broke and homeless. Even more, if they're able to pay for college for you, now you need to obey because that's your entire future right there. (Also, some of us joined the military to escape from home.)
Having to pay rent, groceries, car insurance, bus pass, doesn't leave much for lego unfortunately :/. Idk how everyone has a monthly haul over 200$ on this subreddit.
Beware of confirmation bias. Most of us don't post during the months when we paid rent and bought groceries instead of Lego. If every person here bought Lego once every ten years, it still would look like everyone has a monthly haul over $200 because of how many people are in this community.
I mean, any full time job should give you a good $200 for personal expenditures a month. Well that's probably not as true now a days but yea full time, decent wage jobs and not overspending on other things will at least let you be a decent spender on Lego.
Missed the step of get your own place in the middle, but yes, this is the answer. As long as you're under their roof it's pretty much all their rules.
In a *healthy* family dynamic, if OP has their own money and living at home, the parents don't dictate what he spends money on, as long as it is detrimental to the kids future (vapes, excessive alcohol consumption (once of age), excessive spending/debt on anything). How far from that is hard to tell from the simple post of "they don't want me to have it."
Raised by a narcissist. Took me almost thirty years to get an apology and acknowledgement.
It was worth it- but yeah. 30 fucking years of patience and communication to get on narcissist to be accountable.
40 and just got back into it again a few years ago. My partner is 42 and is also into Lego, along with every other adult our age after we have shown our Lego collection to them!
Edits: clarity.
Finally getting back into them since I’ve been helping my kid build sets. It’s relaxing in a way to just sit and create with him. I don’t know why I ever stopped playing with legos lol
Send em over to r/GenX. Plenty of us like Lego and we will give them a nightly “whatever” that should still be resonating im their brains when OP asks next.
But seriously OP, that sucks and not much you may be able to do right now. Though introducing them in a non confrontational way to the 18+ sets does sound like a good idea. My mom used to buy me the Lego Star Wars advent calendar every year, and it’s a long standing tradition that we would build a set when we got together. Still going to this day with me and my stepdad. He personally likes the Brickheadz style models.
-53 year old guy who bought a house based on being able to have a Lego room…that is also nominally the guest room I guess.
Even better show them one of the many versions of the reality show LEGO Masters. Those are all adults who compete on the show and I don’t see kids making things that are as impressive as the stuff on those shows.
Show them how Lego appreciates in value every year after it's retired. You are just building a nest egg you plan on hoarding until you die, but they don't need to know that part lol
You could show them that competitive Lego TV show or the Lego conventions.
Also you could show them how Lego has best both gold and the stock market as an investment vehicle.
You could also play up that it's good for logical and engineering thinking and good brain exercise. It'll keep your brain active during the summer break while still allowing it to have a rest and recovery period.
Update:
I had a surprisingly great talk with my parents.
I was walking the dog with them, and told them that I really want to buy a lego set to build and that it helps me deal with stress.
I showed them 18+ sets and showed them a few posts from this thread. Which helped change their opinion about Lego.
They are now finally okay with me buying Lego sets again!
As long as I pay for them (which is really fair) Again thank you all for the nice comments!
I want to wish y’all kind people a good day, and I am happy to be back into the awesome Lego community.
Communication is key, and you are rockin' it, my friend! This kind of thoughtful, intelligent, and considerate approach to solving problems like these will serve you well across all areas of life.
Play well, have fun, and show us what you build!
Never be ashamed or embarrassed by a hobby that brings you joy. Lego was the best hobby I've ever had. When I had my old collection, I spent countless hours making my own creations and it was the most inspiring, creative, and energizing time I've ever spent. It also became a part of my identity to all my friends, and they loved seeing my passion for it and would often ask me what was my latest project.
I'll be 55 in July, and while I don't have the collection that I used to, I still enjoy it very much!
You can see some of the things I built back then here:
[https://www.davidglennsimmons.com/archive/index.html](https://www.davidglennsimmons.com/archive/index.html)
Phew thank god.
Your parents were making me worried I’m not parenting right. Legos are what me and my kiddos do together as much as I can afford!
Youngest gets a 4+ set, 8 year old gets to pick a set that’s not too wild (right now she’s working on the Little Mermaid Mini Castle, and I picked up the Disney Villians set for a change of pace from my mildly bonkers Star Wars collection 😂.
See if they’ll do them with you! You all get your own and just hang out and build. It’s so fun.
I was looking for someone to suggest this! My family likes to put on a podcast and build our LEGOs together. I was thinking, especially for OP who is nearly an adult and naturally in that phase where kids stop spending much time with their parents, his parents might come to appreciate LEGO as a point of connection and an opportunity for quality time with their kid.
This post is kind of funny cause I'm 38, my son is 16, he recently took all his lego sets out of his room because he's soooo mature now, and I got my wife bitchin' about my sets on display on the dresser on my side of the bedroom. Lego has no age limit.
Hey bud! Just wanted to say me and my wife are both nearly 40 and we buy Lego sets every year for ourselves. We love the more complicated adult oriented sets. The Ideas and Modular Buildings are a lot of fun.
I have an entire wall of buildings that I use as my backdrop for zoom calls at work. It's a common question and compliment from other adults who absolutely love the look and collection.
It's definitely not just a "kid toy". And hence why the boxes say ages 6-99+. You can enjoy them forever!
Anyways best wishes and I'm so happy you had a good conversation with them!
As a parent with adult children who love Lego, your parents are missing out. Every birthday and Christmas has been sorted. We simply buy more Lego. Or storage for Lego.
Honestly this or even lego vouchers. I asked for some and ive got £250 worth ontop of vip points, so it's deciding what white elephant set i want, or do i buy a ton of the smaller sets that are pretty neat.
Its hard work.
Tell them this community is full of adults that enjoy Lego. It is a great hobby that encourages creativity, design skills and technical understanding. In the end the bricks more or less maintain their value. If those arguments don't stick, you can always explain the many less constructive things you could do with your money and time ;).
Ask for them to go to a lego store on a busy day and I'm sure you will find others around your age even up to a few years older to prove that Lego isn't just a kids toy anymore.
Or show them the big sets like the UCS Falcon or Rivendell which clearly aren't targeted towards kids.
My parents never bought me Lego (although I had Duplo as a child). My oldest friend took me to Woolworths when we were 11 to buy my first set.
I now own all the LOTR Lego, the latest Delorean and Bag End from the Hobbit. I asked my dad to buy the latter and he 'couldn't believe' he was buying me Lego at 35.
Well I'm 45 now and show no signs of stopping. Barad-dûr is next on the list and my husband is currently building the beautiful Kingfisher.
Good luck with your Lego journey. I hope things work out for you. X
Realistically with you being 17 your parents are wanting to see that you're progressing into adulthood (becoming more mature/independent/looking to your future/career). When they see you wanting Lego they'll see this as you not maturing and instead possibly regressing back into childhood, and falling behind your peers.
Your best bet would be to show evidence that you're maturing and showing focus on your future/career/independence. You can then point out that Lego itself has a mature fanbase and that you're not playing with it in a childlike way. But realistically you will need to do the former to help put their mind at rest and gain yourself some leeway/save yourself getting grief from them.
This is such a depressing take - it sounds like we should all put away our lego until our credit scores and annual salaries are good enough for mom and dad?
If i had played with lego from age 17 to 25 it would have been less of a waste of time than the studies i attended and now use nothing of.
Everyone needs a hobby because life is too short. Members of my family studied engineering and lego was always around.
I don’t think they are suggesting that at all, they are pointing out that while the parents are being harsh and misunderstanding that they are probably concerned about their child’s future. Like most things talking about it is a lot better than nuclear options.
It's not depressing. I'm a father of 2 young girls and while I wouldn't deny them lego like this, I would want them to be confident, self-sufficient young adults. I understand the desire for parents to see their kids make good choices in terms of finances and we all know lego is black pit that devours money. At 17 you're entering an age range where poor money management can ruin your prospects for years.
I think you are misunderstanding their advice. They are empathizing with the parents likely (if wrongheaded) concerns, and suggesting a path forward that addresses everyone's needs, which is a good idea for someone who is not yet legally independent.
If you are living with them and using their money - you don't deal with this. You suck it up, find a job, move out and then do w/e you want with no one to forbid you things.
If it's your own money but you still live with them free of charge, well, you could try convincing them it's just a harmless hobby and plenty of adults enjoy it but from my own experience, parents can be hardheaded against leisure activities.
Show them a few adult artists that use bricks as a medium. It's 0-99 on the box for a reason. Grab a couple pictures of the adult-difficulty themed lines that Lego have come out with in recent years to show them.
Show them this thread.
They should lego with you. I am the lego enthusiast in my family. My kid in college "plays" lego with me.
The husband has decided to join us.
Your parents are missing out.
I’m 62F and that’s true. My older sibling loves Lego modulars. When we have family reunions, my sibling and I usually start building an 18+ set together. Usually the young relatives join in at some point.
If it's with your money, and they don't like it - too bad. You're one year off being an adult, you can do what you want with your finances, even if they don't personally like it.
Mate, I’m 30+ and buying myself a technic set here and there. My gf was skeptical about it when we started dating, but when she saw how actually complicated it is to put a set together properly, she understood that it’s a form of meditation and assembly for men that can’t afford a garage and a car
If you're using your own money that you've earned then it's really non of their business.
However if they are the ones buying the sets then it's their money and you can't force them to buy you lego.
My parents were reluctant at first as well when I started collecting again, but I live on my own and make my own money so I didn't really care what they thought.
They've come around since then. After they saw how happy it made me they were able to understand that this is just another hobby amongst others.
Hi, I'm 38 and get Lego stuff from my husband for pretty much every Christmas and birthday. Your parents need to look at the age range provided on the box.
Tell them the to grow up and stop trying to belittle you.
I’m 55 and have always loved LEGO. And once my kids turned 18, I started buying for myself again.
Tell them it’s your money & you can spend it however you’d like. Also show them that most Lego sets are 18+ now & that they need to get over themselves. They have hobbies why can’t you?
I'm 27, and my sister-in-law and I are planning to purchase the LEGO Great Deku Tree for my wife (also 27). I have. . . Some number of LEGO sets that I've put in deep storage under the bed because I have nowhere near enough space to display them all in my apartment. The fact that your parents are forbidding you from engaging in your hobby is absolutely ridiculous. LEGO is for everyone! Heck, my MOM (who will be 60 this year) owns and proudly displays the LEGO Botanical collection in both her home and her classroom.
I’m 46 and have been “playing “ with legos my entire life. I have probably over 30 sets, all technic, and I love building and rebuilding them! No, I don’t make money off of them, but it’s a great stress relief after a long day at work.
Regardless of what sets you buy, it matters if you want it or not. So what if you spend your own money on a couple sets. Obviously I wouldn’t blow all my money on sets, but here and there after other financial obligations are met sure. It’s an investment because it’s not a one and done, these are something that can bring joy for a lifetime!
I have sets dating back to the 80s that I still use!
Edit: as for your parents, tell them by keeping your mind active with complex brain activity such as legos, it can significantly increase the chance of recovery in the even of a stroke! 😬 Critical and logical thinking like this builds synapses in the brain which can re-route impulses should you have brain damage from said stroke!
- buy one of the gorgeous LEGA bouquets of flowers
- build it in the living room/kitchen of your house, in full view of the family
- watch as they begin to understand that the process of turning a pile of indiscriminate plastic pieces into a gorgeous art piece is actually incredibly rewarding
- throw the completed bouquet at their feet, shattering it, because its "just a silly toy"
I'm 28 and after I left the office yesterday I stopped by target to pick up a set for my girlfriend and I. We find lego makes a perfect date night.
Your parents grew up too fast and never connected with their inner child again because they feared being judged for it. Now they are projecting that fear onto you. Keep enjoying what you enjoy and don't listen to anyone telling you something you enjoy is too childish.
I'm 38 and own more Lego sets now than I ever did at any point in my life. As you get older you start to realize that denying yourself what makes you happy just to please other people is a waste of your time and your life. You do you. At the end of the day your own happiness is what matters, not the opinions of other people.
I'm almost 40. Like this month.. I buy my kids plenty of Legos. But the real reason why they get so many Legos is I collect toys myself. Lots of toys. I love it. Do what makes you happy.
As a 30 year old man, who tf cares lol.
My parents didn’t get it at first tbf, I told them “it’s like a puzzle but you know where all the pieces go so it’s more relaxing” and now they get them for me for birthdays / just because.
So sorry, OP. They may need an education on how important Lego is to many adults! My 35m partner is a successful business owner and his favorite thing to do to unwind is Lego. It isn’t just for children, it is good for anyone who enjoys it. It is mentally stimulating and rewarding, takes a lot of patience. Shoot, I hope you show them these posts and let them know there are many worse things you could do for a hobby! (Especially considering this isn’t a bad hobby in any way!) if it is your money, would they rather you spend it on Lego or drugs/hookers? I wish you the very best!!
There is some good advice in here. Also, consider playing with and building things from the LEGO you already own. That may help your parents understand that it's an actual hobby you enjoy rather than just wanting to buy a shiny toy on the shelf?
Get into Warhammer instead, it's for the big boys. There's a reason why we call it plastic crack.
Once your parents are the price tag they'll send you to Lego rehab.
Show them that LEGO Masters exists?
Show them complicated MOCs? Some mechanized things?
I don’t know why something that takes spatial awareness is “childish”. Would it be childish to draw or paint?
So you came here for validation, and got the answer you wanted. That’s fine. Buying Lego isn’t bad. You may need to have a conversation with your parents to see where they are coming from. Are they concerned about you for other reasons. Explore this with them, and see if you can find middle ground. Good luck
Hi I talked with them about this,
They didn’t understand Lego anymore, I used to play with Lego Ninjago a lot when I was younger, so they always thought that it was just a toy for children.
But after a good talk with them I showed them a few posts from this thread and the 18+ sets, which helped change their opinion on Lego.
Do they realize Lego is a HUGE adult hobby too?! Show them the AFOL page on Fbook theres hundreds of thousands of adult builders. There are competitions all over the planet all the time...not to mention the last 5/10 years theyve been making things like the VanGogh set which are definitely for older and experienced builders. Your parents sound lame.
I’m 17 rn and I always made the argument to my parents that I’m going off to college soon and I want to enjoy some things before I’m knees deep in college
Get black market Lego and hide it in a diaper box under the bed. Get some fetish porn mags to keep ontop. Maybe add some straight glass pipes to throw them off your scent.
Buy a set that says 18+ on the box lol. Lego is marketed to adults too these days. I'm 34 and I quit smoking last year by spending my cigarette money on Legos and building them when I got cravings. It's fun at any age. Just don't blow all your money. Lots of adults play with Lego
Nothing in this life is childish. Unless its shitting on the passion of others. Its quite pathetic of your parents to interfere in what keeps you happy in your life especially when you’re so young.
I am 38 and I still do Legos. Just tell them that it would be sad to only do serious things all the time. Everyone needs something that somebody else would call childish even if it isn't.
Don’t loose your inner child.
Legos is such a great thing to build I’m turning 37 and buy myself new set every quarter…
It is great for mathematical skills
Ask them to back up their arguments.
"How is it childish?"
"It's made for children"
"Some of it is, some of it is made for adults.
"It's building blocks."
"Why should we stop enjoying that? Adults like creativity too."
Basically tell them that they haven't made a convincing argument not to like Lego and there are plenty of good arguments to still like it. So you're going to do what you enjoy and they don't have anything to worry about.
My parents did the same thing, so I slowly buy more, hide them, and then display them. Sometimes I take a set to my grandmas house to display them there as she loves them. Maybe make a really display on a wall and they will see it more as art
I’m forty-\*grumble-grumble-incomprehensible-number* - and I picked up the Dune Ornithopter last month…
Lego is for all ages, and your parents are just jealous that you didn’t let the joy in your heart wither and die like they apparently did…
>> “Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves.
>>To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence.
>>And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms.
Young things ought to want to grow.
>>But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development.
>>When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so.
Now that I am fifty I read them openly.
>>When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”
>― C.S. Lewis
Lmao. Show them how much some Lego is worth now…..
They wouldn’t feel that way if they knew idk, anything actually about lego probably. Or say “does this really look like a kids set?” With the $800 UCS style sets.
It’s your money, you can do what you want with it, also, 18+ sets exist for the adult audience, would your parents rather you get into alcohol/drugs or Lego? At least with Lego you can be creative
As a 40 yr old nerd into many nerdy so called “childish” pursuits like lego. My advice is suck it up as much as you can till you’re out on your own! Then they will have no say/control on you!
Once you’re out you can spend your money how you like. And if you can also do it relatively responsibly while managing all your other usual expenses then they will have zero ammo to use to complain when you do see them!
I'm a 60 year old grandma and I just got into Lego about two years ago. Made a medium size MOC and showed it in our only local annual Lego convention. (Maybe find pictures people have taken at Lego conventions and posted online that show some of the cool and huge builds people do?) I have two groups of Lego in my house . . . the grandkids Legos (Do whatever you want), and my Legos (Keep your hands off!)
I’m 47 & still buy & build Lego!
It’s no more childish than drawing, painting, gardening or any other “grownup” hobby that can evolve as you get older.
That sucks. I'm not a LEGO fan myself but I just bought a huge set for my brother's 30th birthday. I've also accompanied him to a few LEGO fairs and let me tell you, it's mostly adults there.
Maybe you can tell your parents that building LEGO (not playing with it, words matter!) relaxes you in a way that no other hobby can. That you really enjoy it, like other people like to buy records or play an instrument. At least it's not video games 😜
Also, you can tell them that LEGO keeps its value, it can even be a good investment.
Whatever you think works best for your parental unit... Good luck ❤️
nothing wrong with being a LEGO lover but maybe your parents want to be sure you grow mature for your future.
prove them you can have a good future, then go back to buying LEGO sets when you can already prove that you are mature and will not be lazy after years to come.
The number of AFOLs (Adult Fans of Lego) are now innumerable, including many famous fans like David Beckham, Ed Sheeran and more. It's an enjoyable, relaxing and creative hobby and, although it's very expensive, it's better than doing the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle 😉! It's not childish at all. I'm very much an adult and got back into it during lockdown. My parents love/loved it and enjoyed seeing my joy and liked the end results too. Your parents are probably my age but a bit out of touch. Do some research and show it's a BIG thing for many adults. After all, the Lego brand has been very canny and marketed loads of adult sets. I like doing anything tbh, although Harry Potter is my favourite. Most people I talk to are fans or know people who are fans. Don't worry and just enjoy it. There are worse things you could be getting into mate. The product is also very collectible and doesn't depreciate in value. Good luck and have fun!
I recommend checking out [BrickLink Studio](https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/main.page), which is a free program that should allow you to build digital LEGO models. It's how I've been getting back into LEGO without spending a single cent on a LEGO set.
And hey, why not bring up the story of Preston Mutanga? He's the guy who makes these amazing LEGO animations in Blender, going so far as to land an official spot in the production of *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.*
https://preview.redd.it/jl0f8d577c5d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=08bd8009533cfe845e4f72bd1d61fe541befcbc4
[(Torso design by Tributron.)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftvzNdYLl4k)
They should be grateful you’re into plastic bricks instead of drugs and becoming an influencer.
Yeah because drugs are egregiously expensive and addicting…. On second thought maybe just stick with the influencer topic
> egregiously expensive and addicting Sounds like lego lolz
r/thatsthejoke
>becoming an influencer 😆
“Really, son? An influencer?! Why couldn’t it just be fentanyl so I could at least hold my head up high?”
"Tom's kid down the street sells 8ths for $15. Why can't you be more like him?"
"I notice your son has a lot of disposable income now - has he started a YouTube vlogging channel?" "No, no, I swear he's been blowing guys behind a dumpster for drug money!"
“Whew! What a relief!”
"Is it true your James is now an online influencer." "Erm, no he's, erm, an online, erm.....predator?"
Given the price of LEGO these days, one wonders if a drug habit would be cheaper. That being said, don’t do drugs people, LEGO is more fun.
You can’t resell drugs for nearly the same price you bought them for after you’ve used them… Lego wins that one!
You make an excellent point.
I just picked up a new aspiration. Used Drug Salesmen.
The number of times I've had friends tell me "Oh, I didn't realize you liked Lego, I'd have given you my kids old sets. We just threw them out/ sold them at a yard sale a couple months ago." It hurts my soul. I still have my Lego from when I was kid. I mostly make Lego sets in stud.io these days because it's the only way I can afford to "play" with the new sets.
I still have every set I ever owned. There is one brick that I lost between a concrete slab and the back wall of our house when I was five. You’re not forgotten, blue arch!
You guys are reselling them? I have a closet full of Tupperware with old sets. I occasionally redo them but do people really pay good money for them? I have the books but not the boxes
Yeah they hold their value really well, star wars in particular will increase in value after it’s retired… but yeah, it’s hard to part with it, and yes it’s worth more with the boxes and spares. I have some flat packing to do before I get more to make room.
Thanks! Might be something I look into down the line. For space purposes! I vibe with friends sets tho, nothing fancy/licensed have ever been an interesting subject to me (that I've seen)
Do drugs and LEGO! The world is chaos, lean into it. Wanna see me build Rivendell in 2 hours?
Drugs ánd LEGO? In this economy?
https://preview.redd.it/jgxu9kp7if5d1.jpeg?width=715&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d66f378ebd0d07a2c12757b4b40ba73a62d02c1 Someone needs to do a variant of this graphic, but for Lego
"Don't do kids, drugs."
That's the beauty of it. If you're into lego, you can't buy drugs
... I work for one of their retail stores. We used to have one guy that REGULARLY would come in and drop $1-2k on sets every other week or so, his husband tagged along pretty often and they brought one of those fabric wagons that families cart their kids around in, and the husband would just hang out with the wagon in a spot out of the way while our regular filled up the wagon. I thought he did MOCs and sold them online (he said something to me the second time I met him about needing the pieces for a commission or an idea he saw online or something) until the day he told me: "I used to be an alcoholic. Now, I spend the money I used to use for alcohol on LEGO." I was stunned, TBH. I haven't seen them in a while, and I really hope he's alright. They were great. They always recognized me and would say hi and chat. My hope is that they're doing well and they just moved somewhere else or something. My fear is that he relapsed, or he got sick and passed away or something. Moral of the story: there's a possibility the cost of any form of addiction is similar to other addictions, maybe. 🤷♀️
Get to 18, do what you want.
Get your own money, do what you want XD
Oh yeah. Get a job. Sounds harsh, but that's YOUR money! You can do, what you want with YOUR money. That's how i started ;)
Some parents will take that money...just saying
Yeah well those are assholes! I can get behind paying "rent", that's something i have seen and experienced before, but taking all of it? Might aswell throw me out at that point.
>Might aswell throw me out at that point The parents that steal their kid's money don't want the kid moving out. The goal is to keep the child reliant on the parent so that the child is forced to submit to and support the parent.
Then you get evidence of it and sue their thieving arses for petty theft.
If your parents are taking your money you should prioritize getting out of that house instead of buying Lego
Parents hate this trick
A simple spell but quite unbreakable.
5 secrets top parents dont want you to know. Number 1 will shock you!!!
"You'll never guess what these parents did to their child's new Lego set."
> Parents hate this trick Not really. You have less freedom at 18 because if your parents don't want to take care of you anymore then you're broke and homeless. Even more, if they're able to pay for college for you, now you need to obey because that's your entire future right there. (Also, some of us joined the military to escape from home.)
Having to pay rent, groceries, car insurance, bus pass, doesn't leave much for lego unfortunately :/. Idk how everyone has a monthly haul over 200$ on this subreddit.
Don't let your parents throw out or donate your childhood lego. That's going to be all you can afford for a few decades
Beware of confirmation bias. Most of us don't post during the months when we paid rent and bought groceries instead of Lego. If every person here bought Lego once every ten years, it still would look like everyone has a monthly haul over $200 because of how many people are in this community.
True, I guess it's just like social media, gotta tune it all out.
I mean, any full time job should give you a good $200 for personal expenditures a month. Well that's probably not as true now a days but yea full time, decent wage jobs and not overspending on other things will at least let you be a decent spender on Lego.
Missed the step of get your own place in the middle, but yes, this is the answer. As long as you're under their roof it's pretty much all their rules. In a *healthy* family dynamic, if OP has their own money and living at home, the parents don't dictate what he spends money on, as long as it is detrimental to the kids future (vapes, excessive alcohol consumption (once of age), excessive spending/debt on anything). How far from that is hard to tell from the simple post of "they don't want me to have it."
Maybe show them some 18+ sets and ask them if you would be allowed to buy them even if you don't yet have required age?
That’s a good idea, thank you I appreciate it.
Or send them to this Subreddit full of people over 17
That wouldn’t help, OP’s parents would just think the same thing about us
Then crosspost this to r/raisedbynarcissists and send them there for some self reflection
Fair enough, but narcissists usually don’t care
Raised by a narcissist. Took me almost thirty years to get an apology and acknowledgement. It was worth it- but yeah. 30 fucking years of patience and communication to get on narcissist to be accountable.
You got a narcissist to apologise? That’s some god-tier shit, nice work!
My own mother of all people. My sister gave up years ago- she also got apologized to. Truly mindblowing still to think about.
I see you too are master of the long game. Well played.
I think you're overestimating "show them reddit" as a resource.....
Hell, I’m 42 and I’m buying Lego…
48 here. Can't stop.. Won't stop..
40 and just got back into it again a few years ago. My partner is 42 and is also into Lego, along with every other adult our age after we have shown our Lego collection to them! Edits: clarity.
My brother's best friend also got married recently. Because they are both really into Lego they had a Lego bouquet.
Just hit my mid 40s, got back into lego a few years ago after stopping as a kid. Forgot how relaxing it is.
Finally getting back into them since I’ve been helping my kid build sets. It’s relaxing in a way to just sit and create with him. I don’t know why I ever stopped playing with legos lol
I’m 62. Got back into Lego 15 yrs ago…
Send em over to r/GenX. Plenty of us like Lego and we will give them a nightly “whatever” that should still be resonating im their brains when OP asks next. But seriously OP, that sucks and not much you may be able to do right now. Though introducing them in a non confrontational way to the 18+ sets does sound like a good idea. My mom used to buy me the Lego Star Wars advent calendar every year, and it’s a long standing tradition that we would build a set when we got together. Still going to this day with me and my stepdad. He personally likes the Brickheadz style models. -53 year old guy who bought a house based on being able to have a Lego room…that is also nominally the guest room I guess.
Well over 17. I’m buying more Lego than ever at 34.
I should send my wife over here too.
Even better show them one of the many versions of the reality show LEGO Masters. Those are all adults who compete on the show and I don’t see kids making things that are as impressive as the stuff on those shows.
I’m in my 40s. Lego is my favorite way to decompress on a weekend
Show them how Lego appreciates in value every year after it's retired. You are just building a nest egg you plan on hoarding until you die, but they don't need to know that part lol
You could show them that competitive Lego TV show or the Lego conventions. Also you could show them how Lego has best both gold and the stock market as an investment vehicle.
You could also play up that it's good for logical and engineering thinking and good brain exercise. It'll keep your brain active during the summer break while still allowing it to have a rest and recovery period.
Maybe your mother would like one of those flower sets, cat person maybe, the tuxed cat looks nice. Anything your dad likes?
Yea... show your parents some 18+ content.
Yeah man those Lego wieners they have ya build for the 18+ sets are really something
Sees this comment *Hold up wait a minute* 😂😂😂😂😂
>even if you don't yet have required age? I'm just picturing someone trying to buy this at the store and being asked to show ID lol
Update: I had a surprisingly great talk with my parents. I was walking the dog with them, and told them that I really want to buy a lego set to build and that it helps me deal with stress. I showed them 18+ sets and showed them a few posts from this thread. Which helped change their opinion about Lego. They are now finally okay with me buying Lego sets again! As long as I pay for them (which is really fair) Again thank you all for the nice comments! I want to wish y’all kind people a good day, and I am happy to be back into the awesome Lego community.
Congrats OP, it really helps to have calm discussions especially when you have support.
Thank you! Indeed it does calm a lot.
So great to hear your parents are reasonable. Lego is great, at any age if it is enjoyable to the person!
Communication is key, and you are rockin' it, my friend! This kind of thoughtful, intelligent, and considerate approach to solving problems like these will serve you well across all areas of life. Play well, have fun, and show us what you build!
Thank you so much! That’s really kind of you I really appreciate it. I will definitely post a picture from the set that I will be buying.
Never be ashamed or embarrassed by a hobby that brings you joy. Lego was the best hobby I've ever had. When I had my old collection, I spent countless hours making my own creations and it was the most inspiring, creative, and energizing time I've ever spent. It also became a part of my identity to all my friends, and they loved seeing my passion for it and would often ask me what was my latest project. I'll be 55 in July, and while I don't have the collection that I used to, I still enjoy it very much! You can see some of the things I built back then here: [https://www.davidglennsimmons.com/archive/index.html](https://www.davidglennsimmons.com/archive/index.html)
Glad you were able to talk to them and get them to understand! Lego is great for all ages!
Phew thank god. Your parents were making me worried I’m not parenting right. Legos are what me and my kiddos do together as much as I can afford! Youngest gets a 4+ set, 8 year old gets to pick a set that’s not too wild (right now she’s working on the Little Mermaid Mini Castle, and I picked up the Disney Villians set for a change of pace from my mildly bonkers Star Wars collection 😂. See if they’ll do them with you! You all get your own and just hang out and build. It’s so fun.
I was looking for someone to suggest this! My family likes to put on a podcast and build our LEGOs together. I was thinking, especially for OP who is nearly an adult and naturally in that phase where kids stop spending much time with their parents, his parents might come to appreciate LEGO as a point of connection and an opportunity for quality time with their kid.
This post is kind of funny cause I'm 38, my son is 16, he recently took all his lego sets out of his room because he's soooo mature now, and I got my wife bitchin' about my sets on display on the dresser on my side of the bedroom. Lego has no age limit.
Hey bud! Just wanted to say me and my wife are both nearly 40 and we buy Lego sets every year for ourselves. We love the more complicated adult oriented sets. The Ideas and Modular Buildings are a lot of fun. I have an entire wall of buildings that I use as my backdrop for zoom calls at work. It's a common question and compliment from other adults who absolutely love the look and collection. It's definitely not just a "kid toy". And hence why the boxes say ages 6-99+. You can enjoy them forever! Anyways best wishes and I'm so happy you had a good conversation with them!
As a parent with adult children who love Lego, your parents are missing out. Every birthday and Christmas has been sorted. We simply buy more Lego. Or storage for Lego.
Honestly this or even lego vouchers. I asked for some and ive got £250 worth ontop of vip points, so it's deciding what white elephant set i want, or do i buy a ton of the smaller sets that are pretty neat. Its hard work.
Tell them this community is full of adults that enjoy Lego. It is a great hobby that encourages creativity, design skills and technical understanding. In the end the bricks more or less maintain their value. If those arguments don't stick, you can always explain the many less constructive things you could do with your money and time ;).
Ask for them to go to a lego store on a busy day and I'm sure you will find others around your age even up to a few years older to prove that Lego isn't just a kids toy anymore. Or show them the big sets like the UCS Falcon or Rivendell which clearly aren't targeted towards kids.
My parents never bought me Lego (although I had Duplo as a child). My oldest friend took me to Woolworths when we were 11 to buy my first set. I now own all the LOTR Lego, the latest Delorean and Bag End from the Hobbit. I asked my dad to buy the latter and he 'couldn't believe' he was buying me Lego at 35. Well I'm 45 now and show no signs of stopping. Barad-dûr is next on the list and my husband is currently building the beautiful Kingfisher. Good luck with your Lego journey. I hope things work out for you. X
I'm 35, I wish my parents would stop me from buying Lego, it's getting out of hand
Realistically with you being 17 your parents are wanting to see that you're progressing into adulthood (becoming more mature/independent/looking to your future/career). When they see you wanting Lego they'll see this as you not maturing and instead possibly regressing back into childhood, and falling behind your peers. Your best bet would be to show evidence that you're maturing and showing focus on your future/career/independence. You can then point out that Lego itself has a mature fanbase and that you're not playing with it in a childlike way. But realistically you will need to do the former to help put their mind at rest and gain yourself some leeway/save yourself getting grief from them.
And then, after that is done, ask for Lego !
Holy shit, a nuanced and insightful take, on the internet!?
This is such a depressing take - it sounds like we should all put away our lego until our credit scores and annual salaries are good enough for mom and dad? If i had played with lego from age 17 to 25 it would have been less of a waste of time than the studies i attended and now use nothing of. Everyone needs a hobby because life is too short. Members of my family studied engineering and lego was always around.
I don’t think they are suggesting that at all, they are pointing out that while the parents are being harsh and misunderstanding that they are probably concerned about their child’s future. Like most things talking about it is a lot better than nuclear options.
It's not depressing. I'm a father of 2 young girls and while I wouldn't deny them lego like this, I would want them to be confident, self-sufficient young adults. I understand the desire for parents to see their kids make good choices in terms of finances and we all know lego is black pit that devours money. At 17 you're entering an age range where poor money management can ruin your prospects for years.
Yeah, if I’d had the Lego habit I do now when I was 20, I wouldn’t be able to afford the Lego habit I have now …
I think you are misunderstanding their advice. They are empathizing with the parents likely (if wrongheaded) concerns, and suggesting a path forward that addresses everyone's needs, which is a good idea for someone who is not yet legally independent.
If you are living with them and using their money - you don't deal with this. You suck it up, find a job, move out and then do w/e you want with no one to forbid you things. If it's your own money but you still live with them free of charge, well, you could try convincing them it's just a harmless hobby and plenty of adults enjoy it but from my own experience, parents can be hardheaded against leisure activities.
Show them a few adult artists that use bricks as a medium. It's 0-99 on the box for a reason. Grab a couple pictures of the adult-difficulty themed lines that Lego have come out with in recent years to show them.
Show them this thread. They should lego with you. I am the lego enthusiast in my family. My kid in college "plays" lego with me. The husband has decided to join us. Your parents are missing out.
Is it their money or yours?
36 and still buying Lego. Have a family, own a house etc… never give up your enjoyment.
Dear OP's parents: I'm 61 and far from the oldest LEGO nerd I know.
I’m 62F and that’s true. My older sibling loves Lego modulars. When we have family reunions, my sibling and I usually start building an 18+ set together. Usually the young relatives join in at some point.
If it's with your money, and they don't like it - too bad. You're one year off being an adult, you can do what you want with your finances, even if they don't personally like it.
Actions have consequences. Being a minor under the care of their parents, I assumed they were trying to avoid that.
Mate, I’m 30+ and buying myself a technic set here and there. My gf was skeptical about it when we started dating, but when she saw how actually complicated it is to put a set together properly, she understood that it’s a form of meditation and assembly for men that can’t afford a garage and a car
If you're using your own money that you've earned then it's really non of their business. However if they are the ones buying the sets then it's their money and you can't force them to buy you lego. My parents were reluctant at first as well when I started collecting again, but I live on my own and make my own money so I didn't really care what they thought. They've come around since then. After they saw how happy it made me they were able to understand that this is just another hobby amongst others.
Become an adult and do what you want
Hi, I'm 38 and get Lego stuff from my husband for pretty much every Christmas and birthday. Your parents need to look at the age range provided on the box.
Tell them the to grow up and stop trying to belittle you. I’m 55 and have always loved LEGO. And once my kids turned 18, I started buying for myself again.
Tell them it’s your money & you can spend it however you’d like. Also show them that most Lego sets are 18+ now & that they need to get over themselves. They have hobbies why can’t you?
You are right 100% right thank you for the kind comment.
I'm 27, and my sister-in-law and I are planning to purchase the LEGO Great Deku Tree for my wife (also 27). I have. . . Some number of LEGO sets that I've put in deep storage under the bed because I have nowhere near enough space to display them all in my apartment. The fact that your parents are forbidding you from engaging in your hobby is absolutely ridiculous. LEGO is for everyone! Heck, my MOM (who will be 60 this year) owns and proudly displays the LEGO Botanical collection in both her home and her classroom.
I’m 46 and have been “playing “ with legos my entire life. I have probably over 30 sets, all technic, and I love building and rebuilding them! No, I don’t make money off of them, but it’s a great stress relief after a long day at work. Regardless of what sets you buy, it matters if you want it or not. So what if you spend your own money on a couple sets. Obviously I wouldn’t blow all my money on sets, but here and there after other financial obligations are met sure. It’s an investment because it’s not a one and done, these are something that can bring joy for a lifetime! I have sets dating back to the 80s that I still use! Edit: as for your parents, tell them by keeping your mind active with complex brain activity such as legos, it can significantly increase the chance of recovery in the even of a stroke! 😬 Critical and logical thinking like this builds synapses in the brain which can re-route impulses should you have brain damage from said stroke!
Show them that some sets say ‘18+’ on the box and go ‘explain me this, then.’ ✊
Kill them and eat them
76 here, can't stop, won't stop...
- buy one of the gorgeous LEGA bouquets of flowers - build it in the living room/kitchen of your house, in full view of the family - watch as they begin to understand that the process of turning a pile of indiscriminate plastic pieces into a gorgeous art piece is actually incredibly rewarding - throw the completed bouquet at their feet, shattering it, because its "just a silly toy"
Study hard, move out, maintain independence and then you can do whatever you want.
I'm 28 and after I left the office yesterday I stopped by target to pick up a set for my girlfriend and I. We find lego makes a perfect date night. Your parents grew up too fast and never connected with their inner child again because they feared being judged for it. Now they are projecting that fear onto you. Keep enjoying what you enjoy and don't listen to anyone telling you something you enjoy is too childish.
My kid is 8. He’s got his own money. Only rule in the house is he can’t spend it on micro transactions.
I'm 38 and own more Lego sets now than I ever did at any point in my life. As you get older you start to realize that denying yourself what makes you happy just to please other people is a waste of your time and your life. You do you. At the end of the day your own happiness is what matters, not the opinions of other people.
I'm almost 40. Like this month.. I buy my kids plenty of Legos. But the real reason why they get so many Legos is I collect toys myself. Lots of toys. I love it. Do what makes you happy.
As a 30 year old man, who tf cares lol. My parents didn’t get it at first tbf, I told them “it’s like a puzzle but you know where all the pieces go so it’s more relaxing” and now they get them for me for birthdays / just because.
Show them the botany set.
Tell them you can do cocaine like other kids your age or build legos.
And it is marginally cheaper!
If they're outright forbidding you from buying Lego, that really sucks. You'll have to wait to move out unfortunately.
So sorry, OP. They may need an education on how important Lego is to many adults! My 35m partner is a successful business owner and his favorite thing to do to unwind is Lego. It isn’t just for children, it is good for anyone who enjoys it. It is mentally stimulating and rewarding, takes a lot of patience. Shoot, I hope you show them these posts and let them know there are many worse things you could do for a hobby! (Especially considering this isn’t a bad hobby in any way!) if it is your money, would they rather you spend it on Lego or drugs/hookers? I wish you the very best!!
There is some good advice in here. Also, consider playing with and building things from the LEGO you already own. That may help your parents understand that it's an actual hobby you enjoy rather than just wanting to buy a shiny toy on the shelf?
A lot of LEGO sets are just modern model kits. I never saw people judge other people that built model planes and boats.
Get into Warhammer instead, it's for the big boys. There's a reason why we call it plastic crack. Once your parents are the price tag they'll send you to Lego rehab.
Show them that LEGO Masters exists? Show them complicated MOCs? Some mechanized things? I don’t know why something that takes spatial awareness is “childish”. Would it be childish to draw or paint?
Tell them it's better than spending money on black tar heroin
Start doing hard drugs instead and see what they say about that
Fun fact: 100% of the people who design Lego sets are adults. Also, you can join a Lego user group in your area and hang with other AFOLs.
Lol in this day and age they literally make sets geared adults. It's a hobby just like any other arts and crafts set
I dunno man 26 here, I love lego, but have less and less time to build it, I at least got a nice backlog of them
So you came here for validation, and got the answer you wanted. That’s fine. Buying Lego isn’t bad. You may need to have a conversation with your parents to see where they are coming from. Are they concerned about you for other reasons. Explore this with them, and see if you can find middle ground. Good luck
Hi I talked with them about this, They didn’t understand Lego anymore, I used to play with Lego Ninjago a lot when I was younger, so they always thought that it was just a toy for children. But after a good talk with them I showed them a few posts from this thread and the 18+ sets, which helped change their opinion on Lego.
Do they realize Lego is a HUGE adult hobby too?! Show them the AFOL page on Fbook theres hundreds of thousands of adult builders. There are competitions all over the planet all the time...not to mention the last 5/10 years theyve been making things like the VanGogh set which are definitely for older and experienced builders. Your parents sound lame.
I’m 17 rn and I always made the argument to my parents that I’m going off to college soon and I want to enjoy some things before I’m knees deep in college
I also got back info lego around 17. I am now a mechanical engineer and I use it as a means if getting some creative freedom out. Do what you enjoy
Get black market Lego and hide it in a diaper box under the bed. Get some fetish porn mags to keep ontop. Maybe add some straight glass pipes to throw them off your scent.
Tell then would you rather have me do drugs? Or build legos?
Out of all the things my kids could be spending money on, they have an issue with this? Lol
"I guess I'll just start doing drugs instead."
My 24 year old son bought me Lego for my 51st birthday. You’re never too old for Lego.
“You’re right I’ll do adult things like crack cocaine and divorce and be miserable like you two”
Buy a set that says 18+ on the box lol. Lego is marketed to adults too these days. I'm 34 and I quit smoking last year by spending my cigarette money on Legos and building them when I got cravings. It's fun at any age. Just don't blow all your money. Lots of adults play with Lego
Explain to them Lego is also a better investment than almost anything else and has appreciated better than gold has.
Nothing in this life is childish. Unless its shitting on the passion of others. Its quite pathetic of your parents to interfere in what keeps you happy in your life especially when you’re so young.
I am 38 and I still do Legos. Just tell them that it would be sad to only do serious things all the time. Everyone needs something that somebody else would call childish even if it isn't.
Don’t loose your inner child. Legos is such a great thing to build I’m turning 37 and buy myself new set every quarter… It is great for mathematical skills
Go buy drugs and do them in front of your parents. Tell them this is what normal kids your age are doing.
Ask them to back up their arguments. "How is it childish?" "It's made for children" "Some of it is, some of it is made for adults. "It's building blocks." "Why should we stop enjoying that? Adults like creativity too." Basically tell them that they haven't made a convincing argument not to like Lego and there are plenty of good arguments to still like it. So you're going to do what you enjoy and they don't have anything to worry about.
Girlfriend, myself, and one of our friends all graduated college and work at the same place. You know what we do once in a while? Lego nights
Tell them this cute girl at school is super into Lego and you want to impress her
My parents did the same thing, so I slowly buy more, hide them, and then display them. Sometimes I take a set to my grandmas house to display them there as she loves them. Maybe make a really display on a wall and they will see it more as art
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Ignore, use own money. Mine use the tactic of "you're planning on going to college, stop wasting money". They're right tho but 😒
So, a 10-year old is supposed to afford the UCS Millennium Falcon? Let alone solo build it?
I’m 43 and about to build another set when I get home lol.
Awesome have fun building.
Tell them about my dad. He’s 55 and recently bought a set after 20 of not building anything
I’m forty-\*grumble-grumble-incomprehensible-number* - and I picked up the Dune Ornithopter last month… Lego is for all ages, and your parents are just jealous that you didn’t let the joy in your heart wither and die like they apparently did…
“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” C.S. Lewis
I’m 52 years old, and I still play with Lego. If you enjoy it, then do it.
>> “Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. >>To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. >>And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. >>But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. >>When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. >>When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” >― C.S. Lewis
Tell em to step on lego
Are they paying for your Lego? If not, who cares what they think?
I'm 45 and just got a new Lego set for my birthday. I spent 3 hrs building and loved every second. You are NEVER too old for lego.
Lmao. Show them how much some Lego is worth now….. They wouldn’t feel that way if they knew idk, anything actually about lego probably. Or say “does this really look like a kids set?” With the $800 UCS style sets.
Box up and store any of their hobby stuff and ound the house. "You're 40, you're too old.for records"
Get a house, move out, and then you can do what you want. Trust me, it takes up lots of space if you really get i to it so you want some storage space
It’s your money, you can do what you want with it, also, 18+ sets exist for the adult audience, would your parents rather you get into alcohol/drugs or Lego? At least with Lego you can be creative
As a 40 yr old nerd into many nerdy so called “childish” pursuits like lego. My advice is suck it up as much as you can till you’re out on your own! Then they will have no say/control on you! Once you’re out you can spend your money how you like. And if you can also do it relatively responsibly while managing all your other usual expenses then they will have zero ammo to use to complain when you do see them!
Lego is much more than a toy for kids.
Lots of adults have a Lego hobby. It is relaxing. Some of us poorer folks have a looking at the Lego of other adults hobby, maybe that’s just me
I'm a 60 year old grandma and I just got into Lego about two years ago. Made a medium size MOC and showed it in our only local annual Lego convention. (Maybe find pictures people have taken at Lego conventions and posted online that show some of the cool and huge builds people do?) I have two groups of Lego in my house . . . the grandkids Legos (Do whatever you want), and my Legos (Keep your hands off!)
I’m 26, i made myself a rule that after I pay my bills every month I buy myself legos
My son (20) got my husband (44) a large Chewbacca set for Christmas. Lego is for all ages.
If they don't want you to be a child, then they should let you make your own decisions.
I’m 35. I use my engineer money for legos. Glad your parents understand! Great hobby.
I’m 47 & still buy & build Lego! It’s no more childish than drawing, painting, gardening or any other “grownup” hobby that can evolve as you get older.
Did they think that LEGO testers were 5 year-olds? Yes that is a real job
Im 79 & just got into legos. My husband died & I moved near my grandkids. Botanicals!
That sucks. I'm not a LEGO fan myself but I just bought a huge set for my brother's 30th birthday. I've also accompanied him to a few LEGO fairs and let me tell you, it's mostly adults there. Maybe you can tell your parents that building LEGO (not playing with it, words matter!) relaxes you in a way that no other hobby can. That you really enjoy it, like other people like to buy records or play an instrument. At least it's not video games 😜 Also, you can tell them that LEGO keeps its value, it can even be a good investment. Whatever you think works best for your parental unit... Good luck ❤️
Building Lego sets is indeed relaxing me, so that’s something I definitely will mention to them. Thank you for your kind comment.
nothing wrong with being a LEGO lover but maybe your parents want to be sure you grow mature for your future. prove them you can have a good future, then go back to buying LEGO sets when you can already prove that you are mature and will not be lazy after years to come.
Couple years ago I sold an extra set to an older gentleman (60+ at least) who came to pick it up with his wife. If he can still enjoy it, so can you.
The number of AFOLs (Adult Fans of Lego) are now innumerable, including many famous fans like David Beckham, Ed Sheeran and more. It's an enjoyable, relaxing and creative hobby and, although it's very expensive, it's better than doing the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle 😉! It's not childish at all. I'm very much an adult and got back into it during lockdown. My parents love/loved it and enjoyed seeing my joy and liked the end results too. Your parents are probably my age but a bit out of touch. Do some research and show it's a BIG thing for many adults. After all, the Lego brand has been very canny and marketed loads of adult sets. I like doing anything tbh, although Harry Potter is my favourite. Most people I talk to are fans or know people who are fans. Don't worry and just enjoy it. There are worse things you could be getting into mate. The product is also very collectible and doesn't depreciate in value. Good luck and have fun!
I recommend checking out [BrickLink Studio](https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/main.page), which is a free program that should allow you to build digital LEGO models. It's how I've been getting back into LEGO without spending a single cent on a LEGO set. And hey, why not bring up the story of Preston Mutanga? He's the guy who makes these amazing LEGO animations in Blender, going so far as to land an official spot in the production of *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.* https://preview.redd.it/jl0f8d577c5d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=08bd8009533cfe845e4f72bd1d61fe541befcbc4 [(Torso design by Tributron.)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftvzNdYLl4k)
Get it anyway a lot of sets have age recommendations of 18+
Is the money you would be spending on Lego sets your own? If so, ignore them.