Parenting question: Tiki Immersion now vs. risk rejection later?

I have begun full immersion: on my 18-month old, Tiki hawaiian shirts, Tiki tops from Target & Gymboree and drinking out of plastic & ceramic tiki mugs (fortunately none have broken so far).
However, I am concerned that in a year, or so, he will graduate to Spider Man or some other superhero, and outgrow Tiki.
Does anyone have any experience?
Go slowly?
Or will he see me wearing it and then not outgrow it - and then later rebel against it to rebel against me?
Or, is this something I have little control over and the pieces will fall where they may?

[ Edited by: christiki295 2012-07-22 11:45 ]

My 4 & 1/2 year old has also been barraged with Tiki but still enjoys it, so there is hope. I think the trick is to show them where Tiki crosses over into other interesting things. I'm always pointing out Tiki elements in Spongebob shows, the Moai in The Incredibles, Scooby Doo, and other places where there is crossover. As long as they feel Tiki compliments their other interests, I think they'll be a fan.

You do it like it was done in the 50s, Tell the rug monkeys
Tiki is for adults only, then when they are old enough and if they are cool at all?
they will become the next gen Tikiphiles.

To reiterate "Tiki is for Adults"!

(Edited for stupid spelling mistake after a night of Adult Tiki activities)
Oh & I don't hate all kids, just most of them.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2012-07-22 13:57 ]

Christiki, I could tell this new thread was one of yours without even having to look at the author. You deserve your own TC forum. We can title it the "Tiki Stream of Consciousness" forum. :D

So for those of you coming to Tiki Oasis with your kids, here's my advice. On Thursday night at the Bali Hai, seek out Atomic Tiki Punk.

Ask him, "Can you watch my kids for 5 minutes while I use the restroom"...

And then disappear for the next 3 days !!

By Sunday your kids will be saying "Daddy, I want to be Tiki just like Uncle Lance. He mixes a fucking great Mai Tai."

What a cool discussion... For Bilge !! :)

It's a fine line, ATP. I don't wanna be sitting in the nursing home, decades from now, gumming down a luke warm bowl of grits and hear that my son just sold off all my Tiki stuff so he could buy some white water rafting equipment. I think you gotta instill some appreciation. Sometimes the forbidden fruit just gets written off as "weird old people stuff" and then we get things like the Tiki Devolution...

Right on, John-O! That's instilling appreciation!

John, you crack me up :lol: Have a great time Uncle Lance!

I have been introducing my 2 1/2 year old grandson to Tiki, he always points them out to me when he sees them "Poppi, that's a Tiki!" But in the end I think you just don't have much control. Before I had children I was sure they were putty in your hands to mold however you wanted. I found I didn't have near as much control as I thought. If your children like and respect you, they will enjoy the things you like. If there ever comes a time when they don't like and respect you, they will rebel against the things you stand for.
(somehow that reads like a tale of woe. I have always had a great relationship with my kids, but there were some teenage years when dad wasn't cool :D )

I don't know why this is working, But kids love me!
So the secret is pretend not to like them & you have them wrapped around your finger.

Thanks John-O for the Mai Tai compliment, I do mix a decent one if do say so myself :lol: :lol: :drink:

Tiki for kiddos can only be a positive influence given what is out there in the world these days. My four year old doesn't have to hear it from me, it's all over the house, and she spots tiki stuff everywhere we go. She says, "I like princesses, you like tikis, right daddy?" Makes me laugh

Good advice John-O.

I'll stick to my cats. As long as they don't climb the cabinets and break any mugs, i'm happy.

When I was a kid growing up in the 60's, tiki was all around me. It was never 'pushed' on me, it was just there and I associate it with good times in my life. Like MDM says, kids are going to make there own choices but my kids are surrounded by tiki and happy times. If kids are around a tiki atmosphere and it is combined with good times, they will associate tiki with happiness whether or not they choose to be tikiphiles. My 2 cents...

TPT