My kids had a half-day Friday and then our break started. When we came home, Cookie lay down on the couch and fell asleep. These kids are wiped out. And probably dehydrated.
We are still in the beginning stage of the break, which involves vegging out in pajamas all day, watching mindless television, and playing too much Webkinz. It's similar to the start of Summer Break that way, although we won't be moving on to "bridge" workbooks like we do in the summer. If they want to read, great, but I won't be making them do math problems.
Although the Peanut Butter Kid now does extra math problems every night before bed. Apparently this is fun and relaxing for her. I assume she gets this from her father's side. Anyway, like I said, I'm not going to make them do math problems.
It is like Summer Break in that it's a big fat break for me, too. It's exhausting, the homework and the anxiety and the ADHD. Not to mention how much time I spend getting up people's asses about my children's education. Oh, and ensuring that their basic human needs are met. (Yeah ...I'm still pretty pissed about the water thing.) It's nice to have a slice of the when we can all stop sweating this stuff.
Eventually, we'll move on to doing some more active things, but for now we're still in the pajamas-and-Webkinz stage of Winter Break. If your kids aren't into Webkinz (yet), they are adorable little stuffed animals that have virtual counterparts online. You can play games online with your Webkinz toy, and also rock out to the little cartoon videos. Tiger, Tiger, anyone?
Webkinz is like Facebook for children, in the sense that it's Internet crack. Or maybe more like Farmville. Whatever. It's cracktastic.
It's also slightly scamtastic in that after a year, your online virtual pet will disappear unless you buy a new one (or buy the Deluxe membership or something).
But by then, you're hooked. Yes, you: the parent. The games are addictive. Seriously addictive. Many of the games are educational, but some are just plain fun.Remember how we all were about Solitaire on the computer, circa 1990? That wasn't just me, right? Between Solitaire and Tetris, no one got anything done. Then AOL came along and workplace productivity tanked even further.
That's how I am about Cash Cow on Webkinz. It's got that same soothing quality that Solitaire has, and I can play it forevah. Or at least I would play it forevah, but the kids are on break which means they're all attempting to commandeer my laptop so they can play Webkinz.
Guess I'll go watch that West Wing marathon.
Webkinz ABSOFRAKKINLUTELY ROCK!!!! I love my 'Kinz! We go to Goodwill, and scour the 99 cent animals, and absolutely HAVE to 'rescue' every Webkinz we can. It's great. Same thing with Salvation Army, Value Village and the like. :D My ex mother in law started the trend four years ago at Christmas, and we keep getting them for them each year. My parents have their own 'Kinz, as do my husband (a skunk! ROFL Named Stinky) and I (ok, I have a ton, three pigs and others...).
ReplyDeleteIf you wanna.... I'm blackrose78 on Webkinz. I like new friends. God, that sounded stalker-y, didn't it?
My 6-year old daughter, who has Asperger's, is into Webkinz. I've watched her socialize in the public rooms. She's amazing! If someone else shows a sad face icon, she'll ask what the matter is, etc. She shows great social skills! If only she could transfer these more consistently to the real world.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed the Pet of the Month is waiting in the closet to be wrapped for one child along with a moose for the other child. Because once they get started you have to buy one each year-no clue what we'll do with these eventually.
ReplyDeleteOur older kids are WebKinz obsessed. We only let them register one at a time so that they can continue to use the site and register another code before their time runs out.
ReplyDeleteLOL Cash Cow is my fave too.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter became obsessed with Webkinz 4 years ago, after a friend who worked at a gift shop gave her and her brother each one (when they were newly popular and hard to find). Then she had to get me one so I could "learn to play so I could help her with the online games." Yeah, right - crack for kids, crack for moms needing a quick way to tune out and get some mental space. Goober's Lab or Home Before Dark, anyone? I won't tell you how many she has now, or we'll sound like one of those stuffed-animal-hoarding, internet-addicted, crazy families. Oh, wait, I just confirmed it anyhow. . . .
ReplyDeleteHey, Webkinz are great! Then they graduate to Club Penguin with the Puffles, weird little creature that hold secret codes. Yea, thanks for addressing the water thing at school, it's barbaric. At our school, it's all about with holding bathroom breaks, one kid peed all over the place and then the gym teacher got mad about it, but wouldn't let him go in the first place. My DH is a daily reader of your blog, we both love it, have a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteI am really hoping our Webkinz phase is over. We've graduated to Club Penguin (about to expire! YEAH!) and pirates online. But the hilarious part is that DADDY is the one who plays webkinz, like, obsessively and my kid now has more kinz cash than he could possible every use or want. It's madness.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder where my kid gets it? Hmmm...
Ha-ha, my 5 year-old always says “Mom, I have to check my FaceBook, you know… PBS kids” lol! (and I let her, because I need some time to myself)
ReplyDeleteomg, my grandkids do webkinz. and before I started blogging I would log into their accounts and play their games to make them kincash. Yup, see, I know what I'm talking about.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my little ones have graduated to Club Penguin. There are more Puffle toys running around here than I have bought. I think they might be mating under the beds . . .
ReplyDeleteLove Cash Cow and Pizza Palace! I sacrifice and play frequently so my children have enough Kinz Cash to feed their multitude of pets. Isn't that nice of me?
ReplyDeleteMy kids are kinda over webkinz now. I even had my own account for a while so I could play tile towers! LOVED that mind-numbing game! Then my account expired :( Hmm... bet I could buy a code on ebay and reactivate it! Their Christmas break starts on Wednesday and I absolutely love that first phase - vegging out in your PJs all day. Love it and looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteMy game of choice right now is Tile Towers. I have an unregistered webkinz sitting here right now because my (daughter's) membership is about to expire.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do Webkinz here at our house - Pixie Hollow is our crack. I love it for the chat aspect - they don't allow certain words - and they don't just say "Please don't use these words" Disney actually has it set up so that any word that is not allowed - will not send - it shows in red! How cool is that! Now I can let my 6 year old daughter be on the computer and not worry about online predators pretending to be the fairy next door when they are actually trying to get here personal info. Kids can't give out numbers - so no phone numbers or addresses. It is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love me some Cash Cow! I bribe my kids to do chores by racking up KinzCash for them. I agree that Webkinz are totally cracktastic.
ReplyDeletei am fairly confident that if we met, we would be best friends. just sayin'.
ReplyDeletenuh-uh @betsy. I bags her first as best friend!!
ReplyDeleteWest Wing Baby!! Between my sis and I we have the full 7 seasons on dvd. and quote it to each other at various times. *sigh* I miss it.
Every time I read your blog I read something else about you that makes me think you are the rockingest woman - so amazing. wow. You aren't be really real are you? too cool to be real. *in awe*
Wish I lived in texas. other than the snakes and heat. and the with holding of water from kiddies - WTF is that?! I would totally uproot my family and move there. Not too stalkerish? oh good. ;O)