lmao, it has far exceeded my expectations. I was already expecting something funny but yeah there's just something about it. What are those impatient Stormtroopers going to do?
Black Barney wrote: The D&D shirt got me thinking (about viewing this dork tendency in all of us as more of a 'loud and proud' type of Jodie Foster thing).
What about a shirt like the one Pete is showing above but no shamrock and instead of Hooligan, it just read MATH
I dunno, I think that would be kind of cool (not for kids but for guys our age). it's like we're making a statement.
Random person: WTF? Math? For real? What's that supposed to mean?
me: I dunno, I just like math. More than, say, Abercrombie & Fitch. Math has been good to me, that's all.
I'm not making any judgement calls on how others want to carry on here. I'm just one jackass like everyone else trying to do what they think is best.
That said, I'm definitely not wanting to groom my kids to go to comic conventions or toy shopping sprees with me. If they naturally become inclined to some of that, that's fine, but it won't be because of my encouragement.
I used to have an Atari 2600 hooked up to the tv out in the garage. I bought my son a retro duo for Christmas, so I sold off the Atari. I didn't want both of our tvs to have video game systems attached. It goes back to the balance thing I touched on earlier. If we have closets full of games, video games on all tvs, toys up on adult shelves and gamer clothing, what's the message?
So far I think I've done a good job of controlling games as just one of the many activities we enjoy as a family. Sometimes we ride our bikes, sometimes we go fishing, sometimes we kick the soccer ball or hit a baseball, sometimes we play a boardgame, sometimes we bang on (cause we can't play yet) instruments, etc.
So, the real dilemma here is that I don't wanna 'nerd out'. So, if I buy a D&D shirt what can I do/get rid of to keep the balance? This may be over-thinking it or unnecessary for most, but again that's why this is my nightmare...er nerdery.
Honestly, do you believe your kids will at some point in the future go, man, I wish we wouldn't have had so many games at home?
From your description it sounds as if you already pay attention to your kids and will allow them to pursue their own interests, instead of pressuring them into your hobbies, which is really all that can be asked from a good parent and you shouldn't give yourself headaches over appearing too much like a nerd to your kids. And don't plan too much; kids can spontaneously overexcite any parent easily. That's a good thing and I believe it gets wasted by putting too much structure on them.
There is wisdom in limiting time in front of the television and/or videogames. When I was growing up, the videogames weren't more compelling than going outside to play football or ride bikes all day. Today's games however can be. Especially when the child says "all my friends are playing them". It seems that you have provided the podlings with an excellent array of activities.
In the end, spawn will like what they like. If that means they go full on nerd, roll(D20) with it. Don't overthink it. That path only leads to lost hair and ulcers.
Awesome thread, dont' know why I missed it for so long.
I've got a Green Lantern T I really like and a Star Trek shirt that is my favorite.
One summer my bro, best friend and I all went into Kingston and picked up Star Trek T's at the local comic shop. We were staying at my old man's place just outside of town on Lake Gould. He doesn't live in a proper town, he just lives on the side of a lake and he has a great boat.
Well we all put our T's on and hit the lake with pencil and paper. We were the Enterprise and we would explore new worlds. Captain Cook, First Science Officer Mock and Chief Engineer Snotty. We putted around the lake, sent "away teams" to the islands (a group of not quite sober men swimming to and from an anchored boat) and gave everything names. We made a shitty map with our own names for everything and descriptions of all the places around the lake framed it and gave it to Dad as a gift.
That's as close as I've ever come to LARPing or a mid life crisis.
You know how I stave it off? Being in a band. The Lego, to me, is a grown man wanting to be creative... it's cool, I could see it being fun momentarily but it's also a useless rip-off too so you have to balance that the best you can. You can get all your gaming nerdy fun out of a copy of pro-tools or logic and turn that nerdy fun into making music. Which is creative and especially great to do with kids. I record my son's babbling and put music to it right on the iPad using garage band. He gets a kick out of hearing his voice in a song and I get a kick out of trying to find ways to incorporate his voice into a song. It's creative, cerebrally engaging, gives us something to listen to years later that will carry emotion across time and it's fun on top of all that. Like a game but more rewarding.
Most of my friends who suffer from mid-life crisis's (early ones that is) usually fix it by acquiring a hobby or finding some way to be creative.
If the hobby becomes finding new hobbies non-stop and spending money then you're fucked. You need to stick through the shitty learning process and get somewhere with just one of them.
I'd buy the shirt, pass on the lego, and keep on trucking. Your kids sound great.
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