My dad calls my tabletop hobby a childish pastime every holiday.

It hurts when he says that in front of everyone. How do I explain the value of this hobby to him?

4 comments

4 Comments

At Thanksgiving last year, I explained to my dad that my D&D group actually teaches teamwork and creativity. He stopped mocking it after seeing how it helped me plan events at work.

tessalopez3mo ago

Hey, tell him it's cheaper than therapy, like @ivant51 did.

bethc933mo ago

I love the "cheaper than therapy" idea because it hits home for me. My aunt always mocked my gardening until I explained how digging in the dirt really chills me out after a stressful week. It reminds me of how @ivant51's dad came around after seeing the practical skills from D&D. She visited my patio last summer and now she's growing her own tomatoes, which totally surprised me. It's wild how hobbies we get judged for can end up meaning so much. What's something you do that people don't get until you explain it?

lunaf6717d ago

Honestly yeah that's such a good point lol. My mom used to give me so much crap about my gaming hobby until I told her it's literally my way of unwinding after a long week. Once she saw how much calmer I was after a couple hours of playing she totally backed off. It's like people don't get that you don't need a formal reason to enjoy something, it's just good for your head. Glad your aunt came around too, that's always the best feeling.