Moms, just say no to babysitting Webkinz
Now I have heard everything. On top of all the duties that moms are supposed to do, some are now babysitting their kids' Webkinz online pets while the children are away at summer camp.
In the world of overintensive parenting and martyred moms, can we all agree that spending a half hour to an hour a day caring for pretend critters is a good place to draw the line at ridiculous demands that are made of our time? (Of course there is no mention of dads being asked to take over this ridiculous "duty.")
Webkinz never die but they "get sick" and need medicine if they are ignored. This costs virtual KinzCash that kids earn by answering quizzes and playing on the site.
If parents want their kids to learn responsibility by caring for their Webkinz, I say this should include the responsibility of feeling a hit in their pocketbook when they need someone else to care for these "pets." In our larger society, mothers face major economic hurdles related to the fact that our caregiving labor doesn't "count" in any official way. Let's not let our children get away with the illusion that caregiving is free.
Moms, claim back your time and let that KinzCash account go to zero.
Amy Tiemann, Ph.D., is the author of Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family and creator of MojoMom.com. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET.
- Topics:
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Parenting,
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Technology,
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Culture,
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Pop culture,
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Kids
- Tags:
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Webkinz,
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overinvolved parenting
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