About comments regarding my 12 year old son and lego

[Everythingnotsaved]

My 12 year old still loves Lego especially Star Wars and Ninjago etc. He had a large Star Wars ship for Xmas & still plays with it, reads Lego books etc.

My mother things he’s too old for it (although she hasn’t specified what she thinks he should be doing at 12)

I always thought Lego was for any age to be honest and would rather he played with Lego than spend hours on a screen....

Aibu? What should 12 year olds be doing?!

My best friend growing up and cousin both loved lego throughout childhood and into teenage years etc... Ones now a structural engineer and the other an architect.

DH50 and DD17 spent a lot of the Christmas break working on the Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts model - it is so good! And is lovely to watch them working things out together.

DD17 got the Central Perk set for Christmas too.

My son's secondary school had a Lego club. So does his university.

I am 38 years old with an extensive Star Wars Lego collection. Building Lego is one of my favourite things to do with my daughter. In my opinion you are never too old!

DC is 12 and loves Lego, I got them more HP Lego for Xmas.

I bought myself the Friends Central Perk lego set and I'm in my 40's

I also have Ninjago City (plus many more!)

Nope, not too old, it's a good hobby!

I'm 36 and have the Lego Knight bus

I gave a massive box of Lego away, dug it out of the bottom of a cupboard and sat on the floor and built a house and put the little Lego man outside with his car! Im 53, you're never too old to play with Lego

My DD got Lego for her 12th birthday last week. She still loves it. I have sympathy with you OP, as she is getting a little self consious about playing with Lego as a lot of her friends tell her its 'babyish' however a lot of her other friends still admit enjoying it too. Its a tricky age but I'm trying to encourage DD not to abandon things just because her peers deem them babyish, it's to do with enjoyment and confidence in your own choices. Peer pressure is big at that age though

DS (11) has gone off his Lego somewhat and I'm so disappointed! We've packed it all up and I'm keeping it for a while in the hope that he gets back into it. It's so creative and stimulates their imaginations - he was less interested in actual sets a few months ago, but liked to create his own structures with all the pieces.

Never too old for Lego!

No one is too old for Lego - it promotes fine motor skills in young children, teaches patience, imagination and construction skills in older children and is therapeutic for adults!
Unfortunately I think your Mum has an outdated view of what is “too old’ for pre-teens and sees Lego as a toy targeted at younger children.

We've packed it all up and I'm keeping it for a while in the hope that he gets back into it

It's always worth keeping imo. When I had my DC my grandparents donated the lego they'd bought me 25 years prior, which was at their house from when I was little and used to play with it. So our "family" lego box now has some pieces that are nearly 50 years old! All of it will be kept to pass onto either my grandchildren (if I have any) or my sisters grandchildren.

Given they're unlikely to change the dimensions of the cubes and it's eyewateringly expensive, even second hand... its definitely one to keep for the grandkids. Or as an investment. Probably more expensive per gram than gold

These were enjoyable
www.channel4.com/programmes/lego-masters
Your mother is mad. Has she any idea of the hideousness he could be seeing on a screen? Maybe have a chat about the easy accessibility of hardcore porn these days. That'll get her buying him Lego.

Some adults like Lego. I wouldn’t encourage my son to become one of them. There’s nothing sadder than when you go to someone’s home and they have shitty bits of plastic on display as if they’re ornaments or artwork or something. I’d be phasing out the Lego and encouraging my DC to develop more mature taste.

Incidentally, if any of you with Lego mad children don't know about Lego League, I would really recommend you look into it. I think it is one of the best things my children have ever done. The easiest way to enter is probably as a school team but you can enter as a community or private team too. There are usually some HE groups who do very well.
Our school team has been to the national finals several times and to internationals once, which was an absolutely incredible experience where they met kids from all round the world and some truly inspiring people. For instance, there was a guy who had been cycling something like 50 miles each way to coach the girls' team who eventually became national champions and were representing their country. He had been beaten up several times and even received death threats for daring to teach science to girls in his country but didn't give in. My boys really had their eyes opened by things like that, but also had a huge amount of fun.
Even if you don't get beyond your local heats there is a great deal to be got out of it. Designing and programming the robot is really important but there is a lot more to it than that and a successful team needs people with very varied talents. It would be too late to enter this year's competition now but there's always next year! If you have children who are interested in STEM subjects I honestly cannot recommend this enough. It is a lot of work, but well worth it.

He'll probably naturally grow out of it. Mine did around mid-teens.

Try and keep the lego though rather than donate to charity or flog it for about a quid per KG on ebay. If/when you're a grandparent your DCs may be glad to have some available as its so expensive. I know I wish my father hadn't given all our childhood lego away - would have saved me a fortune when my kids were smaller!

Both DSs have collected Lego into adulthood. Both had sets for Christmas.

Let your DS enjoy his childhood! Enjoying lego at any age is fine.

Ds2 is 13 and pretty much only plays with lego (or the ps3). He plays with his Lego at home and my brothers old lego at my mums.
Nephew (6) got lego for Christmas
Ds2 (13) got Lego.
My brothers (32 and 36) got lego.
BIL (35) got Lego.
Grandad (85) got lego.

A lot of my friends (30-40ish) collect lego sets.

Dp is 39 and he collects lego and loves getting it for chrismtas and birthdays, I just bought him the lego mystery hidden side and he bought himself the school in blackfriday sales. Dp is very much looking forward to the day dd is old enough to play and build lego with him

I'm 40 and love Lego. I was so happy when DD10 asked for the Friends Central Perk set for Xmas, it's an age 16+ so I get to help out too..... ridiculous to suggest something that has adult only sets is too babyish for a 13 year old

*12

I haven't read through the thread BUT, my 14 year old still loves his Lego. The models have become more intricate and he wants to become an engineer.
The intricate models he designs and builds using his own imagination all contribute to his ambition. Maths, design, problem solving and patience.
Tell grandma that all Lego designers have an engineering/design background but they also have employees who have to turn stuff into Lego models. Son's backup job.

Your mum is weird.

My 12yo DS has only just got into Lego this last year or so - before that he could take it or leave it, but the Harry Potter Lego has set him off. DS2 is 7 and is now also into Lego (love to copy his big brother!) but of the Jurassic World variety.
Yay.
Lucky me.