Family interest in models?

[Lunajammer]

My GF (with serious future) expresses interest in my projects, but I know she's just being nice.

A GF from ten years ago was embarrassed that I built models and recommended I not spread it around. Didn't think it was a respectable adult hobby. She grudgingly attended Twin Cities IPMS regional with me and she had a revelation when I showed her a couple award winning military dioramas; how every figure serves a purpose, how it tells a story, research, history, artistry, etc. She was awestruck and enthralled. But still thought modelers were geeks (read "nerds").

Older brothers definitely planted the bug for me to build.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Lunajammer

[bpletcher55]

when I was about 8 my mother helped me ,my dad still calls my models toys, my wife is very supportive and puts up with me taking over are hause with my model stuff.

[Jim B]

My wife really has expressed no interest in it, although she is "supportive". My son (7) & daughter (9) have both built some snap kits (planes, helicopter, fire trucks, & a few cars). My son has been asking me to get him a glue kit, but I'm not totally sure yet. He also has wanted an ambulance, and now with the Revell/Monogram reissue of the 1937 Ford Panel Truck there might be a future birthday present there!

Edited March 8, 2013 by Jim B

[gtx6970]

Me and a couple of my brothers built when we were kids ( 60's + early 70's )

But I'm the only one who kept with them on and off over the past 40 plus years. My youngest daugher has expressed a passing interest in it and has built 2 snap kits and one glue kit( the clear car trailer kit ) so far.

my wife has ZERO interest other than keeping track of the money I spend on them . But at least she tolerates them and me . so I'm good with that.

[mnwildpunk]

At christmas time I got my step son into the hobby and the stinker did great he is on his fourth model total but second #2 kit and at age 8 he is doing 1000% better then I did at his age

[Jeff Johnston]

Nope...my kids built a few when the were younger and were good at it. Its just me

[vintagedragfan]

my wife is currently building her second model, pretty cool!!

[Deathgoblin]

My dad and brother both built a little bit when I was younger, but not so much anymore. Dad's true love is woodworking. My brother doesn't really have many hobbies besides reading and music. My wife has expressed interest in trying to paint a kit. I've got a spare one in my stash I'm going to offer her.

[MAGNUM4342]

I was going to post here. Then halfway through what I was going to say I got really depressed. So i'm going to do something really nice for all of you and just stop here.

[Casey]

How about your kids, your mom or dad?

My Dad built when he was in his teens and 20s, then once again with me when I was eight or so, and occasionally now, but rarely. It's safe to say that his time spent with me building MPC's "Mud Slinger" Jeep Commando and Revell's "Ice Patrol" Chevy Scottsdale 4x4 was the spark which has become a supernova.

Here are an AMT '32 Ford 5-window and Model T he built 50 years ago or so:

He's not much into dusting.

[Danny Lectro]

My wife used to build back when we were dating and when we were engaged. She stopped after we got married and she became pregnant with our first child. She never really went back to it, but she will get mad at me if i ever ask if i can build something from her old stash, even though she shows no interest in getting back into it. She did once accompany me to a big sci-fi hobby show in Kentucky, and even picked up a couple of figure kits for herself.

Both of my daughters have shown interest, but i have no idea how long that will last. The 10 year old likes cars, Star Wars and Gundam. The 8 year old only cares about Super Deformed / BB Gundams.

My son is on the severe end of the autism spectrum. I have shown him what I do, but he has never really showed any interest.

[Agent G]

Mom and Dad got me started. That'd be 50 years ago this spring.

Oldest son never built a model, middle son has built one or two, baby daughter (19) is an accomplished builder with awards.

This wife (#4) finds the hobby fascinating, and attends shows with me most of the time. She is enthralled with the skill level of the builds, the number of people attending, and Danno.

She likes Jonathan a lot as well, but the little critter rarely shows up........................

G

Edited March 11, 2013 by Agent G

[cobraman]

My daughter built several many moons ago when she was younger. I don't know anyone in my circle of friends that build. My wife supports my hobby but has no interest in building ( shes a reader ). She will fake some mild interest when I finish one and I get the usual " Good job " from her.

[rmvw guy]

My daughter built several many moons ago when she was younger. I don't know anyone in my circle of friends that build. My wife supports my hobby but has no interest in building ( shes a reader ). She will fake some mild interest when I finish one and I get the usual " Good job " from her.

​This so describes my wife exactly. Same mold.

[cobraman]

I guess for the most part models are a guy thing. Are there any female builders here ? I never noticed.

[MAGNUM4342]

I think there are a couple female members but they don't show up or post very often.

[Harry P.]

I guess for the most part models are a guy thing. Are there any female builders here ? I never noticed.

Turbokitty.

[Shardik]

How's this for a switch: It was my daughter that got me back into the hobby.

She has a very close relationship with my Father, who was in the Luftwaffe during WWII. This sparked an interest in military history, which led to building aircraft models. When she asked for my help with her first one it reminded me of how much I enjoyed the hobby when I was younger. Since then, we've done a couple of joint projects with me doing the painting and/or weathering. Which is ironic considering she's an art teacher (different skill set, I guess).

She doesn't build cars but has asked me to build a couple for her. In fact, I've been working on a 1930 Bentley that she picked out for about a year now.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Shardik

[Dave Ambrose]

I have two daughters and a son. Liz, my oldest, used to help me with detail painting. She never really got interested. Rachael, my middle child, likes to build Gundams and dioramas. My son, the youngest, is an excellent builder who likes aircraft and Gundams, but doesn't build much now.

[OldTimer50707]

I have 2 grandsons that have taken an interest in modeling. The youngest one is into cars and the oldest is in to airplanes and ships but hey, it keeps then from being in front of a TV with video games.

[Tom Geiger]

My father was not a model builder. He was a bit of a car guy, but being in the military we usually only had one family car and he was without family in Viet Nam and Korea. He did buy himself one cool car, a new 1966 Pontiac Lemans 2 door hardtop with a four speed. It was the family car and we left it in Turkey in 1968.

The closest we came to modeling was that my dad was a Studebaker guy and had a '54 which he traded in on a '62 Lark. He was very interest in the Avanti, but knew it wasn't big enough to be a family car so he bought a model kit. In 1967 we used that model as a pattern to build an Avanti Pinewood Derby car. Best I recall, he never built the kit.

The rest of my modeling was self initiated and directed. Whenever I'd show him a project I was proud of I'd get the, "If you put that kind of effort into your school work..."

[gtx6970]

My daughter has taken a mild interest in modeling. She keeps asking when she can can get back the bench to finish here clear trailer for her polar lights 1965 Dodge buildup

just gotta clean up some stuff off the bench , get her a chair and let her at it. ( she'll be 13 next month )

Edited March 11, 2013 by gtx6970

[kitbash1]

My wife say's that I'm playing with my toy's when I go down to my hobby room to build. So, no she has no interest in models.

[Lunajammer]

I guess for the most part models are a guy thing. Are there any female builders here ? I never noticed.

And now, make welcome, CrazyGirl.

[charlie8575]

Dad started me.

There are days he wishes he hadn't....when I really get into a project, you can't distract me. The problem is I have dozens going at once and no real space to do it in. One more reason to move back out, I suppose.

The girls I've dated have seen it more as a curiosity than much of anything else.

My friends give me mixed reaction. Some genuinely don't care, some are in awe of what is at best average building.

Charlie Larkin