I can relate to that quote (as I'm sure most people can). When I was in middle-school, Pokemon TCG was still really new and popular ... "with children". Me and

I can relate to that quote (as I'm sure most people can). When I was in middle-school, Pokemon TCG was still really new and popular ... "with children". Me and my friends played together, but I was horrified of the idea of anyone else at school finding out. I remember walking to a friends house with my cards and ran into some of our school friends walking the other way, and I did everything I could to hide my box so they didn't ask what I was carrying. What a childish thing to do ;P Now that I'm older, I hang my most prized Pokemon cards behind me like a poster. I don't care if my webcam picks them up during work. And I love to tell people about it. I make sure to never show shame around my kids about "little kid things". Or even "girly" things or "boy-ee" things. When my son started to show shame for liking "pink" things, I slowly started including pink and purple as my favorite colors when my kids asked. I gently yet swiftly squash any "barbies are for girls" type of comments when they're spoken around me. Sometimes I'll walk in on my young teen son shamelessly playing Barbies or other dolls with his little sister. I say nothing except things like, "Looks like you're having fun!" It makes me sad to think of the day when the wrong friend finds out and teases him for it. Hopefully by then he's gained enough self-esteem to not listen.