If I really thought a group for Webkinz Anonymous was necessary I would create it myself. But whether they use an addictive substance to construct them or subliminal messaging on their site.

Overall Webkinz = Good.

They indulge the child within us which is really helpful in relating to children. It's much easier if you remember what it feels like to be one.

It all began innocently enough with a simple trip to Hallmark.

I had seen Webkinz advertised on eBay before, but didn't know what a Webkinz was? Even reading many listings didn't shed any light. It appeared to be a secret society. What was this code they were talking about, what did it do? I read enough to understand the plush was one part of the fun, and that somewhere in cyberspace there was a virtual version were the two meet. Eventually I must of found someone's listing detailing it a bit more, I was intrigued. Then one day on a trip to Hallmark for cards I bought a Lil Kinz Golden Retriever. Little did i know what I began.

I put it away in a drawer for awhile, and one day my son found it and immediatly started taping it quickly on his nose, this has always served as communication that he really likes something. ( fortunately he doesn't do this with food) Even now with more language he still expresses his interest in toys this way. This was all around the same time we attempting potty training, which for kids with Autism and other disorders it is an extremely daunting task, presenting several challenges. The most obvious being the communication problem of being able to express "i have to go" infomation and more important, actually knowing you have to go. And finally being given enough incentive to want to sit through it and try without crying, and this goes for the child as well. I was told potty training would take a month or more of basically living in the bathroom, all day, every day.

This little ball of fur was enough to motivate him and get him successfully trained, it didn't take a month of being in their all day everyday, but it was close.

I personally love the product. After having now handled over 300 webkinz and only 2 needed stitches, I can say they are really well made.The website is overall very educational and alot of fun. There is much a child can do to entertain and learn without giving away any personal information. Infact the kinzChat is set up where they can not type, but rather select from a list of sentences. There is much to do in the land of Webkinz, with daily activities, the arcade, tournaments, searching for Gems, decorating your rooms and dressing your pets. There is even a Kinzville academy for training, and you can even go to "work" once every 8 hours. My son has decorated his own pet compound with no rhyme or reason that is apparent to me " is that a toilet next to the refrigerator?", he even has one room titles Nothing, that just has a traffic light in the middle, which is his favorite room.

For my son, it was alway hard to stay engaged in activities for any length of time, and it still is difficult. But there is a difference in how he plays on other websites to how he plays on Webkinz. But more importantly he actually plays with the plush, making them talk to each and have pretend birthday parties, sure there all eating marker caps for pretend cake (as opposed to the actual pretend food we have) but its a big step anyway.

And we truly are Wacky for them, in the past 6 months my son has earned and been given almost 20 webkinz. My sister and her daughter have enough to open a store, and well i have 6 and 2 accounts of my own.  As well as trading in my book inventory for webkinz inventory. It really amazes me more though to hear my son say something about these friends we call Webkinz...." oh look at the poodle, he's cute, I gonna hug him", which may not seem like a big deal, but is when a year ago i think he would of said "dog" followed by a series of grunts. Out journey through Autism and reaching recovery has alot to with other things besides webkinz, but this has been the most fun place to stop. Who knows what their true value will reach financially, but for us their worth is really priceless.