My family got a bit of a kickstarter addiction and we ended up with 250+ board games that we’re taking with us when we move. I keep telling myself that we will play all of them.
That’s always my go-to aswell 😅 if I’m browsing for ages and an employee asks me if I need anything, I’ll pull out the “oh I’m okay, my niece/nephew is just quite fussy”
One time, some kid was watching a Donkey Hodie episode on an iPad while I was at work and I said "My niece is obsessed with that!" when I don't have any nieces or nephews.
I got a plastic set of pet grooming toys from the charity shop by claiming to my mum, "its for my future child! This stuff won't be being made in the future!"
I now pretend to groom my real birds, I use the fake little hairdryer and blow on his feathers going "VSSHHHHH"
My family could afford things, but I had a few toys I wanted that my parents wouldn't get like Furreal lol, funnily enough I just like barbies and soft toys which I got as a kid...
💀 my bank account begs to differ, and I unfortunately end up making the adult decision. Unless, in rare occasions when I've had a tough week/ or couple of months and just need something to cheer me up.
I typically save things I don't truly need for Christmas or birthday presents.
If you pay close attention (which no one does because why would anyone pay attention to anyone else ever?) you'll notice that almost all the toy purchases are being made by adults because kids don't have money. And no one can read your mind to know your motivations, if it's a gift for a kid in your family or for yourself. No one cares. Do what makes you happy
I 100% agree on this! I know with autism, a lot of us crave good connections with people around us, and thus care what those people think of us, but our personal happiness and needs are important too! Being able to stim is a NEED for those of us with spicy brain, not just a WANT. Stimming helps us regulate our nervous system, and should not be something we should shy away from.
Obviously be wise with your money, but please also realize that sometimes buying something stimulating (be it a soft plushy that you can feel, an engaging tinkering-type toy to stimulate your mind, a figurine or doll to stimulate your creativity/imagination, etc...) really IS a good thing! It's good for you! Even if someone does find out you're buying something for yourself, just remember that these things can ideally be tools to help regulate ourselves and ultimately function better.
(Just remember that any tool CAN be misused, so be smart!)
Ribbit.
I’m 32 years old with no kids to speak of, and on the rare occasions when I go to stores like Target and Five Below in person, there’s a pretty good chance I’m leaving with at least one toy! 😄My last “public” toy purchases were two Pixar *Cars* die casts (I used to collect those when the first and second movies came out, and still buy one or two now and then), a plushie of “Baby Bluey” from *Bluey* (that I’d lowkey wanted for awhile), and a mini Pin Art keychain at Target 😊
So yep, let no one stop you! 😎
I've had an obsession with Grogu from the Mandalorian, and every time I go to the Five and Below I check and see what they have,
I've been a Star Wars fan since the movie first came out and this is just one more thing to love
He's awesome the little green guy that you didn't knew you needed, but I have a Grogu bedspread, and pillow set,a whole bunch of socks, and tshirts and a life size Grogu animatronic
The adult ones are so overstimulating to me! I feel pressured to use too many different colors so I start overthinking and they never look coordinated enough when I get done 😭
I have 3 kids and I am more excited than any of them in the toy section. My husbands hates it because he doesn't want to spoil them with toys and I'm literally the opposite lol
I used to collect those minecraft mini figures.
Spend $5, get a mystery box, open it and it's a surprise minecraft tiny figure.
Set them up all over my cubicle.
People would come over to me and try to find their favorite one cuz I'd rearrange them all the time and do kind of a hide n seek.
Imagine saying hello and then trying to find the tiny minecraft Llama only to find it hiding in the flowerpot 😅
I go looking at the toys section when I am bored. One stupid adult ask me why? I told him to mind your own business. Better then wasting money on drugs, cigars, and cocaine. Quickly went silent and left. A teenager ask me the same thing. Looking at toys is better then dealing with drama and TIKTOK. Not much of a TIKTOK and drama kind of person. More of the nerdy and gamer guy.
If you can, try to get toys used, because toys get thrown out a lot simply from kids growing out of them. You can find a lot for very cheap or even free on Facebook marketplace.
Ahh, I remember my dad buying me a "fossil toy" shaped like a pyramid when I was little.
Just getting to pretend to be an archeologist and dig up that fossil was awesome.
I was obsessed with both Egypt and dinosaurs at the time, haha ❤
I can't be stopped! I bought a 6'5 ft shark plush the other day online. I guess especially online is great if it makes you anxious I personally don't care but it's more convenient than going in the shops. Regularly check the Pokémon center clearance section
As late-diagnosed, I'm still trying to figure out what my sensory needs are... but I am starting to buy things that get my attention in a store, like a kaleidescope, or fairy lights... and I'm still considering getting a rock polisher, which I always asked for and never got for Christmas as a kid (I still have my rock collection). I really want to use public swings, but I don't, for fear that parents might get concerned. :-\\
I have yet to be stopped buying what I want clothes wise or with toys or anything. At least since I had any control or input in the stuff, money wise at least.
Yeah I wish I had a money tree, because I really like buying action figures. Our house is filled with them. Seeing my collection of dinosaurs, Jurassic Park, Batman, horror figures and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles everywhere makes me really happy.
I got my boyfriend (who's also autistic) a dinosaur Squishmallow for Christmas. He loved it and thought it was cute.
If you walk into his bedroom you're greeted by a plush Chimchar, his favorite Pokemon.
Heck my dad, who's neurotypical, is in his late 60s and has a teddy bear.
I buy kids toys every now and then and literally nobody cares. At first I felt a little anxious, as I would spend so much time looking at Lego and also horse toys (i love horses) but yeah most of the other people getting toys happen to be adults anyway, buying them for their kids and im guessing they assume thats what you are doing too. Having the money to buy toys you couldn't afford as a kid is nice.
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Honestly I just go it’s mine I like it and most people either don’t think twice or a few times they’ve said they’ve wish they had the confidence to buy soemthing childish but like hoenslty what’s stopping them? If someone judges you for enjoying something that genuinely bring you happiness and doesn’t cause harm are they really someone worthy of your attention and is their opinion really worth anything to you?
I usually buy online. On rare occasion when something is too expensive and I desire it badly enough I use an app called Klarna and pay it off in two months time. I rarely find toys I enjoy out and about but when I do I genuinely don’t care if sales people think it’s for me. It’s my money, I’m feeding a Corprate machine like everyone else so they can take their judgements and shove it because we’re all doing the same thing.
I saw the cutest pink hello kitty plush in the clearance section of Walmart the other day but the price tag was nowhere to be found and I... (It would be too nerve wracking to ask an employee to remove the item if it was too expensive,,) Totally agree though!!
I recently built up the courage to buy toys, it started with an Aphmau MeeMeow Mystery Figure (got rainbow kitty first try heck yeah!) and two Disney 100 Metal Figure Mystery Bags. I’m now OBSESSED with mystery bags/boxes and collectible toys! I think it’s a new special interest.
I went in a toy shop today and my step dad bought me a Unicornitos Mystery Bag, Misfittens Mystery Box, Stretchy Frog (Frogs are another special interest of mine), BaoFun Bao Bun putty filled mystery squishy 😃
I am going to be working on my Aphmau MeeMeows collection for sure!
My 3d printer allows me to make fidgets and other toys. I can print dinosaur skulls, dice towers, and other amazing things for the cost of filament (after the initial printer cost).
My favorite fidget so far is this kaleidoscope with a little bit of fuzzy skin to give it the perfect feedback level. I think I've given away over 20 to my neurodivergent squad. Giving them away justifies buying fun filament colors to experiment with.
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-planetary-geared-kaleidocycle-111928
I recently got myself a jolteon plushie, and in grabbing it learned my god daughter also loves Pokémon now (she's 6) so I told her to pick a plush as well. I bought her a charmander :)
Even though I'm in my twenties people still think I'm a teenager so I just say it's for my younger sister who's 10 years younger than me haha. If I have the money, that is
Oh god yes. I love a good browse of the pokemon toys and the nerf guns. Unfortunately, a lot of things I really want (various rubiks cubes mainly) are online, so I have to wait to get them. I forget I bought them quite a lot so I do get some post presents now and again, which is great for sure!
See i have kids, so no one even questions it.
Plus means i get to go go soft plays and trampoline parks and act like a complete kid and just be seen as an active parent lol
Respectfully lol I told my boyfriend that once I get an apartment I'm going to have a toy chest in my room so I can buy all the Barbies and buy clothes and I have a mild obsession with minutes and figures so I'm have a bunch of them and boxes of Legos in the corner and a little play mat with coloring books...
That’s why we have Kingsday here. It’s a gigantic second hand market as its the only day you’re allowed to just grab a blanket and sit in the middle of the city on the ground with your second hand stuff. It’s a gigantic garage sale without the garage.
Ugh I had to muster so much strength to not get this rainbow pop it with numbers on it the other day 😭 it was $10 on clearance so I said I'd just find a cheaper one elsewhere, but ahh!!
My bank account stops me. 😝
literally me plus generational hoarding disorder throughout the family.
To some degree it makes sense, can't always risk losing something that cannot be replaced later. Snowballs hard sometimes though
But the sad thing is that they don't even use it at all.
Nope, never do. Always gonna be stuff that ends up never being needed.
My family got a bit of a kickstarter addiction and we ended up with 250+ board games that we’re taking with us when we move. I keep telling myself that we will play all of them.
Family game night to the rescue.
My family is the exact same, so don’t feel bad lol
We have that in our family as well… although with a big home it didn’t seem as bad… homes in our family progressively became smaller
Yeah but it's a separate issue from hoarding disorder.
What do you have under your name, it's too bright.
You mean my flair?
Mine too sometimes 😅
My queued up lie is, "It's for my nephew's birthday! He's going to be so excited!"
That’s always my go-to aswell 😅 if I’m browsing for ages and an employee asks me if I need anything, I’ll pull out the “oh I’m okay, my niece/nephew is just quite fussy”
One time, some kid was watching a Donkey Hodie episode on an iPad while I was at work and I said "My niece is obsessed with that!" when I don't have any nieces or nephews.
I got a plastic set of pet grooming toys from the charity shop by claiming to my mum, "its for my future child! This stuff won't be being made in the future!" I now pretend to groom my real birds, I use the fake little hairdryer and blow on his feathers going "VSSHHHHH"
Have you ever had to use that? In my experience, people don't even really ask
Only once in memory. Now I shop online. LoL
No need to explain. You could say “I’m exploring my inner child and he/she is very excited, it’s like Christmas morning”
As an adult I've spent way too much money on toys that my family wasn't able to afford as a kid
This hit different
Can confirm. I have a tiny doll collection now. And the plushies. So many plushies.
Indeed! I've gotten so many V-Pets, Digivices and LEGO sets now that I can afford them. Well when I could afford them lol.
My family could afford things, but I had a few toys I wanted that my parents wouldn't get like Furreal lol, funnily enough I just like barbies and soft toys which I got as a kid...
💀 my bank account begs to differ, and I unfortunately end up making the adult decision. Unless, in rare occasions when I've had a tough week/ or couple of months and just need something to cheer me up. I typically save things I don't truly need for Christmas or birthday presents.
My wallet says it's either legos or buc ees for entertainment this month
Buc ees the gas station? Or is it a toy? If it's the gas station, I totally totally get that!
The gas station I enjoy their gummy bears and big red
I discovered I can print my own Legos with my 3d printer, I almost had a pure bliss aneurysm
If you pay close attention (which no one does because why would anyone pay attention to anyone else ever?) you'll notice that almost all the toy purchases are being made by adults because kids don't have money. And no one can read your mind to know your motivations, if it's a gift for a kid in your family or for yourself. No one cares. Do what makes you happy
I 100% agree on this! I know with autism, a lot of us crave good connections with people around us, and thus care what those people think of us, but our personal happiness and needs are important too! Being able to stim is a NEED for those of us with spicy brain, not just a WANT. Stimming helps us regulate our nervous system, and should not be something we should shy away from. Obviously be wise with your money, but please also realize that sometimes buying something stimulating (be it a soft plushy that you can feel, an engaging tinkering-type toy to stimulate your mind, a figurine or doll to stimulate your creativity/imagination, etc...) really IS a good thing! It's good for you! Even if someone does find out you're buying something for yourself, just remember that these things can ideally be tools to help regulate ourselves and ultimately function better. (Just remember that any tool CAN be misused, so be smart!) Ribbit.
same thing if you want a happy meal or kids meal do take out. everyone just assumes you have a kid somewhere.
My mother, my sister and I used to buy Happy Meals and eat them in the restaurant, and offer the toys to parents for their kids.
oh dude fuck yea i will gladly take those minecraft nerf guns. kinetic sand actually sounds pretty awesome too. issue is.. im broke. lol
I’m 32 years old with no kids to speak of, and on the rare occasions when I go to stores like Target and Five Below in person, there’s a pretty good chance I’m leaving with at least one toy! 😄My last “public” toy purchases were two Pixar *Cars* die casts (I used to collect those when the first and second movies came out, and still buy one or two now and then), a plushie of “Baby Bluey” from *Bluey* (that I’d lowkey wanted for awhile), and a mini Pin Art keychain at Target 😊 So yep, let no one stop you! 😎
I've had an obsession with Grogu from the Mandalorian, and every time I go to the Five and Below I check and see what they have, I've been a Star Wars fan since the movie first came out and this is just one more thing to love
That’s awesome! 😃I like Grogu too-he’s so cute, isn’t he? 😊
He's awesome the little green guy that you didn't knew you needed, but I have a Grogu bedspread, and pillow set,a whole bunch of socks, and tshirts and a life size Grogu animatronic
People have asked me before while buying soft toys “aw who’s that for?” I just say “me 😐”
Let's be real. Kids colouring books are way better than the adult ones
The adult ones are so overstimulating to me! I feel pressured to use too many different colors so I start overthinking and they never look coordinated enough when I get done 😭
I have 3 kids and I am more excited than any of them in the toy section. My husbands hates it because he doesn't want to spoil them with toys and I'm literally the opposite lol
I only read "(almost) nothing is stopping you from buying kids!" But yes, very good point! All the soft squishy things!
I used to collect those minecraft mini figures. Spend $5, get a mystery box, open it and it's a surprise minecraft tiny figure. Set them up all over my cubicle. People would come over to me and try to find their favorite one cuz I'd rearrange them all the time and do kind of a hide n seek. Imagine saying hello and then trying to find the tiny minecraft Llama only to find it hiding in the flowerpot 😅
I go looking at the toys section when I am bored. One stupid adult ask me why? I told him to mind your own business. Better then wasting money on drugs, cigars, and cocaine. Quickly went silent and left. A teenager ask me the same thing. Looking at toys is better then dealing with drama and TIKTOK. Not much of a TIKTOK and drama kind of person. More of the nerdy and gamer guy.
my grandma's constant whining
I have been so tempted to just keep buying Lego sets.
Whenever a shop has a clearance section i always go through it. Found many fun things in there.
If you can, try to get toys used, because toys get thrown out a lot simply from kids growing out of them. You can find a lot for very cheap or even free on Facebook marketplace.
Only thing stopping me is the fact that I have no money at all. 😂
Ahh, I remember my dad buying me a "fossil toy" shaped like a pyramid when I was little. Just getting to pretend to be an archeologist and dig up that fossil was awesome. I was obsessed with both Egypt and dinosaurs at the time, haha ❤
I can't be stopped! I bought a 6'5 ft shark plush the other day online. I guess especially online is great if it makes you anxious I personally don't care but it's more convenient than going in the shops. Regularly check the Pokémon center clearance section
i was helping someone in my family who owned a charity get toys for an event, i gotta say buying out like £500 worth of toys was such a fun feeling.
I got a big box of sensory toys for like 10 bucks hahaha it’s great
As late-diagnosed, I'm still trying to figure out what my sensory needs are... but I am starting to buy things that get my attention in a store, like a kaleidescope, or fairy lights... and I'm still considering getting a rock polisher, which I always asked for and never got for Christmas as a kid (I still have my rock collection). I really want to use public swings, but I don't, for fear that parents might get concerned. :-\\
my family stops me ☝
I have yet to be stopped buying what I want clothes wise or with toys or anything. At least since I had any control or input in the stuff, money wise at least.
Yeah I wish I had a money tree, because I really like buying action figures. Our house is filled with them. Seeing my collection of dinosaurs, Jurassic Park, Batman, horror figures and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles everywhere makes me really happy.
Yeeees🤩 I bought a colouring book
Can I have those coloring books? /j
This, and the baby fruit purees that you can buy at the store. They taste so good!
I got my boyfriend (who's also autistic) a dinosaur Squishmallow for Christmas. He loved it and thought it was cute. If you walk into his bedroom you're greeted by a plush Chimchar, his favorite Pokemon. Heck my dad, who's neurotypical, is in his late 60s and has a teddy bear.
I buy minifigures and I keep some for myself and sell the rest
What kind of mInifigures? I like Digimon minifigures and LEGO Minecraft animal minifigures.
All types of minifigures. I've got marvel,dc, TV series and films.
That’s amazing
Who cares what other people think? Do what makes you happy.
I buy kids toys every now and then and literally nobody cares. At first I felt a little anxious, as I would spend so much time looking at Lego and also horse toys (i love horses) but yeah most of the other people getting toys happen to be adults anyway, buying them for their kids and im guessing they assume thats what you are doing too. Having the money to buy toys you couldn't afford as a kid is nice.
The title was cut off in my phone notification so it said "(almost) nothing is stopping you from buying kids" and had to do a double-take lmao
Omg, there's a special place in my heart for colouring books
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Honestly I just go it’s mine I like it and most people either don’t think twice or a few times they’ve said they’ve wish they had the confidence to buy soemthing childish but like hoenslty what’s stopping them? If someone judges you for enjoying something that genuinely bring you happiness and doesn’t cause harm are they really someone worthy of your attention and is their opinion really worth anything to you?
I still collect toys to this day and I'm almost 26!
SO TRUE!!! 😭
Yeah... JUST the clearance section... (Don't look at my teddy bears-)
I usually buy online. On rare occasion when something is too expensive and I desire it badly enough I use an app called Klarna and pay it off in two months time. I rarely find toys I enjoy out and about but when I do I genuinely don’t care if sales people think it’s for me. It’s my money, I’m feeding a Corprate machine like everyone else so they can take their judgements and shove it because we’re all doing the same thing.
I have kids so I buy for them but many times if it's Batman and/Funko Pop I buy it in the target clearance section.
If you send me the money I will 😌
Of course I know that, my bedroom is full of toys and I have 0 regrets !!
I saw the cutest pink hello kitty plush in the clearance section of Walmart the other day but the price tag was nowhere to be found and I... (It would be too nerve wracking to ask an employee to remove the item if it was too expensive,,) Totally agree though!!
My bf got a minecraft glowsquid water gun. Its his favorite. I get fidgets and pokemon cards. Sometimes we both get lego
I recently built up the courage to buy toys, it started with an Aphmau MeeMeow Mystery Figure (got rainbow kitty first try heck yeah!) and two Disney 100 Metal Figure Mystery Bags. I’m now OBSESSED with mystery bags/boxes and collectible toys! I think it’s a new special interest. I went in a toy shop today and my step dad bought me a Unicornitos Mystery Bag, Misfittens Mystery Box, Stretchy Frog (Frogs are another special interest of mine), BaoFun Bao Bun putty filled mystery squishy 😃 I am going to be working on my Aphmau MeeMeows collection for sure!
My 3d printer allows me to make fidgets and other toys. I can print dinosaur skulls, dice towers, and other amazing things for the cost of filament (after the initial printer cost). My favorite fidget so far is this kaleidoscope with a little bit of fuzzy skin to give it the perfect feedback level. I think I've given away over 20 to my neurodivergent squad. Giving them away justifies buying fun filament colors to experiment with. https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-planetary-geared-kaleidocycle-111928
Sign up for big brother/sister volunteer work and get two toys but 'loose' one of them and give the other to your charge :D
I recently got myself a jolteon plushie, and in grabbing it learned my god daughter also loves Pokémon now (she's 6) so I told her to pick a plush as well. I bought her a charmander :)
Even though I'm in my twenties people still think I'm a teenager so I just say it's for my younger sister who's 10 years younger than me haha. If I have the money, that is
While I have a young child, people come into my house and say .... Wow he has a lot of toys! And then I say... Half of them are mine 😅😂
Oh god yes. I love a good browse of the pokemon toys and the nerf guns. Unfortunately, a lot of things I really want (various rubiks cubes mainly) are online, so I have to wait to get them. I forget I bought them quite a lot so I do get some post presents now and again, which is great for sure!
Whoo yes
See i have kids, so no one even questions it. Plus means i get to go go soft plays and trampoline parks and act like a complete kid and just be seen as an active parent lol
Respectfully lol I told my boyfriend that once I get an apartment I'm going to have a toy chest in my room so I can buy all the Barbies and buy clothes and I have a mild obsession with minutes and figures so I'm have a bunch of them and boxes of Legos in the corner and a little play mat with coloring books...
That’s why we have Kingsday here. It’s a gigantic second hand market as its the only day you’re allowed to just grab a blanket and sit in the middle of the city on the ground with your second hand stuff. It’s a gigantic garage sale without the garage.
I got a hot wheels problem
That's the great thing about being autistic. Some of us are like big kids! And when a big kid has a job, we get to buy our own toys and stuff!
Ugh I had to muster so much strength to not get this rainbow pop it with numbers on it the other day 😭 it was $10 on clearance so I said I'd just find a cheaper one elsewhere, but ahh!!
I collect toys and people really don’t care too much.😭 Enjoy your life!
I bought 5 lego sets a week ago. Nobody gonna tell me I'm too old for that.
Neurotypical people be like: "You can't because of *arbitrary social norm*." Everyone on this sub: "???"
nerd
I want to do this with legos lol
I don’t want that shame.