The World of Webkinz
After an unwitting holdout (we really didn’t know what Webkinz were), two Webkinz have joined our family: a dalmatian named Missy and a frog named Patrick Frog. The boys spent the good part of today registering their new friends, setting up their animals’ rooms, and shopping for their new pets. Shopping for “my Missy” was Connor’s favorite activity, and now cyber-Missy has a bed, a fire hydrant, a fire engine, a trampoline, and clothes. Yes, my four-year-old son went clothes shopping for his cyberspace dog; he even bought her a pink bow. Ryan, too, seemed to enjoy the shopping experience – maybe a bit too much – as he is now having to frantically “work” to earn money to feed his cyber-frog. I am still not sure how I feel about the Webkinz; do the kids really need to be on the computer more? There is a part of me, however, that believes that these little cyber-animals may be able to teach the boys something that we have as of yet not been successful in getting through to them – that money has to be earned, and that it is not an unending resource. And maybe, just maybe, computer time will now be a motivating incentive for good listening and cooperation… of course, if nothing else, the little furry stuffed animals sure are cute and they make great quiet time companions! Time will tell!