Can Wii All Play?

We gave Scott the Wii for his birthday.  He opened it up in front of everyone and my 9 year old nephew knew what it was immediately.  "You got a Wii, Scott!"  I quickly felt the need to qualify, "I won it, you know.  I didn't buy it."  My sister pointed out that my nephew has been saving his money for a Wii.  He wants one so badly that he is willing to sell his Game Cube and Nintendo handheld thingie for one.  I immediately felt guilty for winning it.  "I won it by entering a contest that the Manic Mommies had, a podcast I listen to."  Silence from the crowd of my parents, Matt's parents, my sister and her family and us.

Then, "Well, Mommy, can't you enter the contest and win one, too?" from my nephew.  "The contest is over, they only gave away this one."  My sister added, "I don't have time to listen to podcasts and enter contest anyway.  I'm not home all day like Aunt Lori is."

What??

In case you haven't figured it out yet, the Mommy Wars are going on right here in my own little family circle.

"The podcast is for working mothers done by working mothers."  I start to explain and then I realize it is useless to try.  Even Scott looks a little confused, like should he be happy about this or should he feel bad for his cousin?  "Can't you win one for them, too?" he asks.

The trouble with winning things is that people get jealous.  I don't like having people upset over something I got or have that they do not.  Especially something I didn't even want that badly to begin with.  I will never truly be over when my parents won the lottery and I saw the negative reaction some people had.  A teacher of mine even asked me to marry him, as a joke, in front of the whole class.  I was 15.  One of my friends said she was happy for us, but that her family really needed the money, not ours.

We didn't have time to break out the Wii at the party, but we tried it out the next day.  It is super easy to set up and get started. After I noticed Scott inching forward with each tennis swing, I put a few pillows in front of the TV so that he wouldn't get too close.  He caught on right away.   Actually, I am surprised at how easy it is to play.  Even I can hit a tennis ball in this game!  And Scott's OT approves (in moderation, of course).

We had our first Wii injury that day.  Matt was playing tennis with Scott when he hit his hand on the basement ceiling.  Ouch.  At least no one broke anything.  Yet.  I can see why people have accidentally flung their controller at their TV!

We took the Wii over to my parent's house for my father's birthday party.  My dad could barely watch as the kids played in front of his big HD TV.  He kept yelling at them to make sure the wrist strap was on tight.  Then he told them to play in a different room, which no one did.  And, as is true to his personality, he judged everyone's form and subsequent success or failure with each play they made.  "Put your arm up!  You swung too late!"  Talk about taking the fun out of it.

What is good about the Wii is the same thing that is bad.  It is interactive and is more fun with multiple people.  You can have as much fun watching as you can playing.  So it is great for a group, but not as fun for one six year old who plays in the basement.  As in, "Mommy, please play with me."  At least when he plays on the computer I know he is occupied and is not looking for me.  And if I am going to play with him, I would rather play cards or Chinese Checkers or just go outside.  If you don't like to play sports, you probably aren't going to like playing them with the Wii either.

But, boy did the kids have fun when they played together.  I know it will get a lot of use in the winter when you can't play baseball outside.  And I know one kid for sure that will play with Scott whenever he wants him to.  His cousin. 

As long as Scott gets to play the last turn.

Oh, and he always wins, of course.

We could just send him over to my sister's house with the Wii.  Maybe she didn't win it, but we'd rather play with them than against them.

Special thanks again to the Manic Mommies for the Wii and also for the Yes to Carrots products (which I gave to my sister, not being a product girl myself).

 

Comments

[Breno]

10 only played it at arcdae 9 is definatly one of my best mario games 8 its awesome , but i think there are a lot better wii games 7 never owned the game and am not planing on getting it. 6 best online ever! 5 read 8 4 still havent got that game and like 7 , i am not planing 3 my number 1 2 read 7 and 4 1 wind waker on gamecube and this are the best zelda games Log in to ReplyWas this answer helpful?LikeDislike

[Lori at Spinning Yellow]

Laura -
It is a good thing that there are product girls and those of us who are not. It's the ying and yang of life. Plus, I need you to help me get some style. Actually, it's Matt who really needs you to help me!

[Laura]

I like products, and the fact that you don't like products is what I like about you. In fact, I was going to go to Rice's today to get a pair of Chanel shades(knock-offs of course)b/c my other ones broke-I am so bummed! You could probably sue the wise ass teacher & buy another Wii!