[jacquesm]

You're free to take them apart and start making stuff with them. I'm pretty sure your kids would join in, mine certainly did. Sets should not be seen as holy and giving them a prominent display spot may be the wrong thing to do. For a week, sure, after that it's parts :)

[pbhjpbhj]

Oh no my friend, this is not allowed - "Dad, don't touch it; why did you add that piece; you're ruining it" "but you're not using it, it was just sitting on the shelf...".

There's definitely a strong divergence. In part, for us I think it's driven by poverty, they want "the nice thing" to look at (all our own models are necessarily colour-mismatched). But I know others who have rooms full of prestige sets that are 'not to be touched'!

Many on HN will be tinkerers who will take anything apart, that probably makes a difference too.