A kid loves a new collectible product. Will they like it less if their parents/authority figure loves it too?

Question

We are talking about something collectible, that can be traded... the kids love it!.... if parents and/or authority figures are encouraging kids to check it out, because they also think it is a great product, how might the kid's feelings about the item change, if at all?

Answer 1

if they are a teenager and you like it, they will suddenly hate it
if they are pre-teenager, they will like it even more

Answer 2

The age factor cannot be discounted, nor can the 'cool adult' factor.

The other thing to consider is WHY the adult likes the product, and if it is a genuine interest or if the adult is pretending.

If the adult only likes the item because they think the child can later sell it for college money, they'll probably hate it. Doubly so if it has 'educational value' for a subject the child hates. But if the adult is willing to learn with the child and discuss things at an age appropriate level, collecting can become a shared hobby. Started young there is some potential of it staying a shared hobby, although the teen years can strain the tightest of family relations. Of course, this really only works if it's an item that will remain of interest over time; sports card probably yes, pokemon maybe not so much.

The other thing that might give it staying power is if there are clubs organized around collecting. The question is worded such that I suspect you are thinking about cards of some type. If there is a club, the older child may be able to stay involved in the hobby without having to be so closely involved with the parent.

Ultimately, it will always depend on the personalities of the people involved.

Answer 3

Depends on how old the kid is and how they feel about their parents. For example, if they're 5 or 6, it'll probably make their day. If they're age 10 to around 21, the parental liking will reduce the cool factor of the item. If they're a rational, thinking adult, they won't care. If the parent in question is the kind that is a continual embarrassment to the kid, it will forever ruin that item. At the same time if the parent is somehow cool, it will up the desirability of the item in question.

Answer 4

Well, I'm 23 and I would have loved it if one of my parents did any of my hobbies. My dad and my grandmother got me interested in almost all the hobbies I take part of today and no I wouldn't like it less. If my parents or an authority figure would say something negative about the hobbie, that might have an impact on whether I would still take part of it or not.

Answer 5

Your question is worded a bit odd, don't ya' think? Is it hypothetical or do you have a product in mind? Anyway...I remember once when my daughter was little and really into Barbie dolls and we learned that the "Olympic Barbie" was a real collector's item. So I bought it for her but I didn't want her to play with it 'cause it would have depreciated the selling value. She never opened the box and it's still in storage (15+ years), collecting dust. I guess I wanted it more than she did and she would have been happier had she felt allowed to play with it.

Answer 6

Sometimes a parent can seem to
take the fun out of it.
I had a Co-worker who's Son collected
certain Items. Then she started collecting
them.
He stopped talking about it.

Answer 7

It depends really what your kid is like, i dont think it will really change their opinion on the item your looking at. They might like it more because if you like it, they might take it to their advantage and buy other similar products just because you said you like that product.

Answer 8

I collect Star Trek. My younger grandson, now 12, did not like them because he did not grow up with Star Trek. But when I started collecting Star Wars he wanted them, too, because he saw all the movies and watches them over and over.