Do you ever get told to grow up? [Why locked?]

[Harry Faversham]

Nearest and dearest often say...

"Isn't it about time you stopped being Peter Pan; the boy who never grew up... and grew up?"

Well can't speak for anyone else, but it's easier said than done...

[diehard]

No but endured quite a few snide comments on "playing with my little men." Then I'd go and paint for a little while just to piss her off.

[Daeothar]

Yes.

But I live by the tenet 'you don't stop playing when you get old; you get old when you stop playing', and that usually shuts the buzz-killers up... 

[Jemima Fawr]

I only ever get good-natured teasing from OC Domestic.

I do all my painting on shift in work, which has never caused problems (I work on my own, with only occasional visitors) except once, when the manager of our technicians turned up and came in to get out of the pissing rain for a couple of hours while waiting for his train home.  I invariably get nothing but interest from visitors, with a side-order of deep-seated envy from a lot of them.  However, this one was different... "Oh, you're a 'wargamer' are you?" he said, with a barely-concealed sneer. 

His tone was a bit strange, but I gave my stock answer, "Yes, that's right; these are French troops from Napoleon's army.  There are some finished ones in the box over there.  Feel free if you want to have a look."

"Oh no, I despise your celebration of man's inhumanity to man."

"Well you're entitled to your opinion.  Just as I'm entitled to remind you of regulations: No person is authorised to enter this location unless it directly pertains to operational work.  Get out."

Watching him trying to stay dry and warm under a tree for two hours was quite possibly the most satisfying and rewarding moment of my life.  And he's dead now, so I win.

[Pijlie]

While ageing is mandatory, growing up is optional.

It is very important to remember that. This has served me well for 57 years now. 

[Mammoth miniatures]

No BUT I surrounded myself with weirdos early on to avoid ever needing to face reality.
I'll stop being peter pan when you pry the tights from my cold green legs.

(I should add my partner drove us both up to salute for mammoth miniatures first show on the promise of a nice meal after, And all my friends are consistently amazed at me being able to pay my rent with toy soldiers - most of my arty friends are fascinated by the whole thing and find it really engaging. I've only really ever got good responses, But i think it may be that being in the midlands puts you at the cultural epicentre of the wargaming world so there's few people around who don't know someone with a warhammer collection.)

[The Voivod]

I keep getting blank stares from some family when I talk about my hobby, but I've long stopped caring about their oppinion on it and they know it.

Most others react pretty positive, mostly, as I often emphasize the creative parts and mostly gloss over what rules would be.
(yeah I use some tape measures and dice as every model has some rules on how far it can move and what to roll to remove another model, is the gist of it).
Creativity seems to be mostly appreciated and understood.

[Donkeymilkman]

  And he's dead now, so I win.

No BUT I surrounded myself with weirdos early on to avoid ever needing to face reality.
I'll stop being peter pan when you pry the tights from my cold green legs.

These responses are hilarious

I think most people who know me think my "tiny men" or "doll" collecting is probably one of my more normal traits.

I tend to joke about it with people myself. Once I went on a mega-long rant about my love of being able to re-create a small part of history and my pedanticness down to how long the length of an Austrian waistcoat in the Napoleonic wars. The bloke next to me (an extremely intelligent engineer) started to talk about his love for physics and how engines work to which I replied, very clever but it's no Austrian waistcoat.

Funnily enough, I think I've been insulted more times for my taste in music which is relatively normal than my love for wargamming.

[Easy E]

I did a few times, so I dropped them and got a new significant other.   

My long time wife is very supportive and even contributes, and that is part of the reason she is my long-time wife; and will be for the foreseeable future. 

Plus, I am not afraid to embrace the ridiculousness and absurdity of my hobby at all. 

 

[Inkpaduta]

My brother-in-law asked me a while back if I was still playing with my army men.
Sigh.

[NotifyGrout]

I did a few times, so I dropped them and got a new significant other.   

My long time wife is very supportive and even contributes, and that is part of the reason she is my long-time wife; and will be for the foreseeable future. 

Plus, I am not afraid to embrace the ridiculousness and absurdity of my hobby at all.

I am lucky in this aspect too. One of the reasons we started dating is because I tried to explain my hobby and she immediately replied "Oh, like 40k? Yeah, I've dabbled in that." One of our earliest bonding activities was going in together on the first Kings of War Kickstarter

A lot of hobbies are kinda silly at the end of the day. Life is full of real-world misery; if no one is getting hurt, who cares what people do to bring themselves a bit of happiness?

[tikitang]

In the past I've heard one or two very minor comments aimed at me from "friends" and family members, but they've been negligible and easily ignored.

I've largely kept my hobby to myself (other than with trusted, like-minded people), and that's worked pretty well.

My wife doesn't mind at all -- she's not interested herself, but she'd rather I was in the house painting soldiers than going out to football games or doing a potentially dangerous sport.

[FramFramson]

If anything my wife would prefer to see me paint more, over my other methods of wasting time. But then she's artistically inclined, and even used to own minis herself (3rd ed Space Ork army, among other things, though she never played) so all good.

[has.been]

While ageing is mandatory, growing up is optional.

Hear, hear!
We are all given a tiny spark of madness when we are born,
try not to lose it.
 

[Rick F]

As someone who's in his 35th year in the military, this one's always amused me -

"Mummy when I grow up I want to be a soldier"
"Sorry Son, you can't do both"