Parents Just Don't Understand by taffychic |  |
If (as I suspect) there are many Neopians like me out there, then Neopia is being
assaulted by a growing plague, which I have affectionately dubbed "The Parental
Problem". What, you ask, is it? There are many symptoms: the skeptical look you
get for answering the question, "So, what did you do today?" with a single word:
"Neopets." Lack of enthusiasm on your guardians' part when you dance about the
living room making an impromptu song about winning Poogle Racing. But it gets
worse-for you, punishment means being grounded from Neopets for a week. Maybe
you, like me, have even gotten The Talk: "Don't you think you're a little old
for this Neo Critters thing? Does anyone else your age play? Are you normal?"
Of course, I realize that this generalization does not extend to all parents,
or even to the majority of them. (I also know that not all players are kids).
I've personally met many parents that compete with their kids in the Battledome
and race to see who can get the higher Pyramids score. I think it's wonderful
that so many parents are willing to take up something unfamiliar in order to
spend time learning what their kids like to do. But for the other half of parents,
the ones who look askance at computers and think that Neopets equals psycho
chat rooms, I'd say the basic "people fear what they don't understand" rule
of human nature applies. Because these parents don't have a clue what Neopets
is all about, they think it's unhealthy and a waste of time. They worry about
the ways their sons and daughters are spending their hours, as well they should.
However, Neopets is nothing to be afraid of (unless we're talking about Count
Von Roo. That's an entirely different story…).
So, for all of you who are, like me, trying to cope with The Parental Problem,
I've compiled this list of six reasons why playing Neopets is not only a non-destructive
habit, but also a healthy experience. I encourage you to print off this article
and let your objecting parent(s) read it-maybe they'll stop giving you such
a hard time.
Reason One: Neopets = Nurturing
If a child has never had the care of another creature in his or her power, he
or she may not develop the care taking abilities that are vital to becoming
a healthy adult. Most parents take care of this by giving their youngster a
pet. However, for kids (and adults) who can't have pets because of allergies
or living arrangements, Neopets is a great substitute. They're cute, they talk,
and they have a state-of-the-art space station in orbit around their planet!
Plus, they need most of the care that real pets need to be happy-food, medicine
when they're sick, interaction with their owners, and the occasional toy or
grooming item. Neopets are also great because they can't actually die, so a
player never has to give up on one of their pets. The benefits of working with
a pet to make it stronger or more intelligent are undeniable-it teaches commitment,
non-violence and respect toward living things. Maybe you'll even uncover hidden
veterinary skills that will really pay off.
Reason Two: A Global Community
Neopets, believe it or not, is not only about the pets. The second part of the
equation is the owners, and they come from all around the world. They also come
from all age groups and backgrounds. In other words, Neopets is a great place
to meet fun and interesting people who enjoy the same things as you. No matter
what your taste, you're sure to find someone you click with (no pun intended).
Owners can join guilds that cater to their interests, or just chat about things
in general on the main message boards. Neopets even has its own web-based e-mail
system. However, unlike the infamous chat rooms to be found elsewhere on the
Internet, Neopets is a full-time monitored, rated-G site. Safe and fun is just
too good to be true, right? Just wait, we're still only on reason two!
Reason Three: Healthy Addiction
Many parents (including mine) feel that their children are spending too much
time plugged into "bad media". In my experience, though, Neopets is much safer
than watching the evening news! Others object to their children being "addicted",
spending several hours a week online. All I can say is, compare it to the pastimes
of many teenagers (for a list of these, pick up any newspaper; there's sure
to be a mention somewhere), and you'll realize that the child you were doubting
the sanity of has actually made a very wise choice in taking up Neopets as a
hobby. And while I'm not saying that anyone should spend all their time online,
I cannot think of any other addiction a teenager could fall into that is less
harmful than Neopets (excepting, perhaps, cross-country skiing). Neopets will
not clog your arteries, spoil your dinner, impair your reasoning skills or hand-eye
coordination, give you obscure diseases, or land you in jail. Guaranteed.
Reason Four: Like a Virtual Back Massage
Some parents, try as they might, can't understand why "kids these days" are
so stressed out. Well, let's face it: we have about two billion things to worry
about at once. Every day. And we're still minors! I think that's a big reason
why many of us play: Neopets is therapeutic. Need a self-esteem boost? Head
over to the message boards and laugh at all the people who are crazier than
you. Need to vent? Go beat the dung out of Punchbag Bob-he won't mind. And after
you've cooled down a bit, there's a lovely interactive universe, totally separate
from ours, to enjoy. Neopets allows us to forget about the five tests we took
today and the fight that our two best friends got into, much less toxic waste
dumping and foreign affairs. Spending an hour on Neopets does for the brain
what a full-body massage and sauna does for the body. Undoubtedly everyone needs
to relax, and Neopets is a good way to have fun while doing so.
Reason Five: Acceptance Rocks, Man!
I stated earlier that you're going to meet a lot of people on Neopets that you
would probably never find in your hometown. Neopets is amazingly diverse, with
the added bonus that, unless they choose to tell you, you'll never know where
most owners are from or what they look like. Whoosh. Yes, that was the
sound of all your deeply rooted biases flying out the window. By learning to
like or dislike someone on the basis of personality and not superficial reasons
like looks, style, or other factors, you're redefining the way your brain works.
And the result of all this is that, later in life, you'll tend to accept people
by listening to their ideas, thoughts, and personality instead of never talking
to them at all because they don't look like your friends. Groovy, eh?
Reason Six: The Financial Issue
Let me get this out of the way: No, parents, Neopets costs absolutely nothing.
However, it does pay players back in many ways. One of those is economic know-how.
You see, Neopets has its own currency, Neopoints, and its own complex economic
system. It has owner-operated and site-operated shops, an auction house, and
a stock market. It has thousands and thousands of items whose values fluctuate
just like in the real world market. And to survive in Neopia, you've got to
learn how to budget, earn, and save wisely. It's not easy. There are people
who'll try to scam you, and you have to learn to look out for those too-good-to-be
true bargains. If you play your cards right, you could become a millionaire,
a dream of many Neopians. So, you see, many kids learn vital economical skills
at a young age, all because of an innocent-looking site called Neopets.
In closing, I'd like to say that, although playing Neopets is a rewarding
pastime, it can be destructive. If you're spending more time on the site than
you are in school, cut back. Take a break and go outside. Read a book. Take
the real dog for a walk. After all, your parents are right sometimes.
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