Parents shouldn’t judge children for being interested in fandom; instead, they should treat it like any creative hobby, pose questions, or join in the fun if necessary.
At some point in their lives, most tweens and teens will become obsessed with a band, movie star, or musical genre. Therefore, avoid making one of the biggest parenting mistakes by not teasing your child or teen about their passions and obsessions. To learn about iganony viewer, click here.
Table of Contents
1. It’s a safe place to express themselves
Young artists frequently create fan fiction of their favorite movie characters or television show to express themselves creatively and unleash their imaginations. This activity allows children to unleash their creativity while exploring themselves further.
Many fans enjoy creating merchandise like T-shirts and other merchandise to sell at fan conventions and games, providing talented artists a way to earn extra income if desired! T-shirt printing can also be an excellent way for budding young artists to earn extra money.
Kids can join fandoms online through social media and blogs, providing a safe space to meet other fans to discuss their favorite characters, movies, shows, and books.
Parents should remember that certain fandoms may contain adult content, similar to video games, sports, or movies. Therefore, they need to monitor their child’s activities and interactions related to these fandoms.
2. It’s a great way to meet new people
Children form friendships through sharing similar interests. At sports games, they enjoy munching on snacks while watching sports or movie events together and spend hours adoring their favorite characters.
Fans also gain insight into other cultures by meeting like-minded individuals from all around the globe who share similar interests. Through conversations on topics like racism and cultural appropriation, fans gain knowledge from people from all backgrounds.
At some point in their lives, children and teens will likely develop an obsession with an artist, band, or actor – whether a music artist, band member, or movie star – and it is important not to mock their enthusiasm if this becomes evident in them. Doing so would be one of the worst parenting mistakes because being a fan can benefit your kids and teens immensely.
3. It’s a great way to learn about other cultures
Kids love exploring fictional worlds. Children will also benefit from engaging with fans with different takes on similar characters – an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to different cultures and perspectives.
Children can develop their artistic skills as part of fandom fanart communities such as Tumblr or DeviantArt – an excellent place for children to get creative!
Scholars have traditionally seen fandom as an unhealthy fascination with media products (Jenkins 1992). But this outdated perspective misses out on its positive social impacts; for instance, fandom can help raise funds and support charities through fannish media consumption.
4. It’s a great way to develop artistic skills
Fandom allows children to express themselves creatively by writing and creating original content, thus strengthening artistic abilities that may open doors for other opportunities in life.
Teens and tweens can use their love for characters or brands they aspire to create new scenes or what-if scenarios, learning how to craft stories that engage and excite. Story-telling skills are incredibly essential to teens and tweens today.
Becoming part of their favorite brand, book, or movie fan community encourages children to connect with fellow fans and form new relationships; it can even be an educational way of discovering different cultures around the globe! Furthermore, fan communities may even provide them with second families.
5. It’s a great way to learn new skills
Be it their favorite sports team, author, or TV show – being part of a fandom provides children with invaluable life lessons. They gain skills such as communicating with others with similar interests, researching information online, and evaluating its credibility.
Kids often use fandoms as an avenue for writing practice by creating fanfiction about characters they admire and building arguments and narratives in a safe environment.
So if your child is obsessed with Halsey or Shawn Mendes, instead of making fun of them, be a supportive parent and let them participate in their community – you might just be amazed at all the new friends they make along the way! Additionally, teach them about sensitivity toward social issues present within these environments.
