It's a Webkinz World

Yes, in our house we are definitely outnumbered. Webkinz Mania has taken my girls by full force and it isn't pretty. There are screaming fits and wrestling matches and eyeballs scratched out, all over whose turn it is to get on the computer and play Webkinz. And God forbid if each child doesn't have each Webkinz. I mean wouldn't it make more sense to collect all of them as a family, but no it's just not fair if one has a tiger and one doesn't. Even Kathryn is in on this one, she doesn't know why, but she knows that she wants Webkinz! How can these cute little animals be the cause of so much mayhem?

For those of you not in the know, Webkinz are stuffed animals that you can register on the computer and play games with. When you are online you can play games with your friends and their Webkinz. You win KinzCash by playing, which you can use to buy decorations for your animals' rooms. Emma is very excited that she was just able to buy a toilet for Alex, her monkey. Chatting is closely monitored in the fact that you can either only pick preapproved phrases or after getting parental consent can only use words in the Webkinz dictionary. And you can invite your "friends" over to play in your house.

It's a great idea, perfect for the kiddos, not perfect for me. Personally I am beginning to think it is the biggest scam since Beanie Babies. Each Webkinz comes with a secret code. You need that code to register your animal. If something happens to the code, say it gets lost, or your oldest daughter puts them in her pocket and then washes her jeans, you are screwed! There is no customer support for finding lost codes or getting a new code. No basically you are told Sorry, Charlie, guess you better buy your kid a new lion or enjoy the pathetic tears of a daughter with an unregistered pet. It's a scam!

But I, like every other parent in America, and I know this because Webkinz are selling out in stores across the nation, am sucked in. They are the perfect birthday gift for friends, perfect bribery for offspring, and perfect distractions when mom needs time. Of course that poses another problem, I can't get the kids off the damn computers, and I really need to check my email, play Scrabble, read blogs, browse Pottery Barn. C'mon girls is it my turn yet?