Webkinz ... Does it lead children to more serious abuse of video games?
I feel that I should retaliate against my cousin for buying Lily a Webkinz bunny.
He asked me if she had one, and informed me that his kids love their Webkinz so much they
are on the computer every single day.
Even though he's one of my favorite cousins, I should have burned the bunny right then and there.
It's cute and all. But Webkinz is one of those stuffed animals that comes with a secret code. And it turns out the bunny can be tossed in the fire. Because as long as your child gets that secret code, he or she has access to a special website where a cyberversion of the bunny "lives.'' And apparently it's so much fun even for a six-year-old, that they will want to hog your computer every extra minute.
I thought we had all decided that people who live cyberlives online, who have "jobs'' and "earn money'' and "purchase things'' all in quote marks, online, are socially deficient and pretty weird. No?
Yet almost every day, I have to hear Lily ask, "Mommy, can I get on w-w-w-dot?'' And I let her.
On the company's website, they answer such questions as: "Are the wishing well and the Wheel of Wow gambling?'' And "Can Webkinz pets die?''
I'll leave you hanging on the answers.
The game is educational I suppose. But so is going to the library and checking out five books.
Should I be writing in her babybook that her first logon name was "crystal5pink'' and her first password "babydolly5''?
And now that you all know her secrets, will she get on the website to find that someone has broken into her bunny's "apartment" and stolen the "pink couch" out of his "bedroom"? Will you get her bunny fired from his "job" "painting fences"?
Please, parents, help me find that perfect Christmas gift for my cousin this year.
Comments
If you are that against them you shouldn't let her play online, or limit her time.
Posted by: Webkinz | July 29, 2008 11:30 AM
The perfect retaliatory gift is another Webkinz right back at 'em. My son lobbied for one, coming short of a Powerpoint presentation, as to why he wasn't too old (9 at the time) or too male to have one. So he got his first macho Webkinz, a German shepherd, and now has about 10 of the furry things. But they're all very manly -- snake, lizard, tiger, frog, chicken, reindeer. But yeah, it's all about the code.
Posted by: Gail | July 29, 2008 4:24 PM
Nope, obviously her cousin doesn't have an issue with the webkins, so sending one back won't have an effect.
The best retaliatory gifts would be something LOUD - like guitar hero, drums, or a karaoke machine.
Posted by: Erin | July 30, 2008 10:14 AM
Yes, it does lead to video game abuse! It's like World of Warcraft for kids.
Posted by: Webkinz Game | August 9, 2008 4:36 PM