Kid and Caboodle

We’re now going on Day 5 of our unexpected winter vacation, thanks to the roughly two feet of snow that hit the D.C. area last weekend. So far my neighborhood has not seen any sign of a plow.

Cul-de-sac, two days after the storm

A.J. has been spending most of his waking hours playing Webkinz, which is something like The Sims or Second Life for stuffed toys. Each Webkinz toy come with a computer code that, when registered, creates an avatar on the Webkinz site. On the site, Webkinz owners can feed, bathe and dress their Webkinz; read electronic books; or “cook.” The site also has a virtual economy; players can work at different jobs, answer trivia questions and surveys, or play arcade games to earn “Kinzcash” to spend on pet food, furniture, toys, room decorations, classes, spa visits, vacations and “home renovations.”

A.J. pondering a move in Link'd (Connect Four equivalent in Webkinz)

The site is actually quite engaging, which is a mixed blessing. My son certainly has been entertained the past few days, but he hasn’t really wanted to do anything else. He also wants me to play as well. (I bought myself two Webkinz so my son would have someone to interact with on the site.)

I also have mixed feelings about how the Webkinz manufacturers have used the site to encourage future purchases. Access to the Webkinz site expires after a year, and the only way to renew is to buy another Webkinz and register its avatar code. Clever!

In between Webkinz sessions, I have managed to do a few useful things in the real world, but it has been hard to stay focused. Hopefully I’ll do better today. Chris has been doing a much better job than I have of being productive; not only has he shoveled a lot of snow and done laundry, but he has been assembling some shelving units. Good husband!

We’re expecting at least six more inches of snow this afternoon and tomorrow … wow. Guess we’ll be having a few more days of family bonding time!