Issue Date: July 22, 2007
Webkinz world
Remember the Tamagotchi? Or Beanie Babies? Combine the two and the result is Webkinz, the latest toy phenom for children ages 6 and up. In fact, the plush "pets" are so popular that many stores are sold out, and you may find yourself paying hundreds of dollars more on eBay than the original $10 to $20 asking price.
How to navigate a new toy obsession
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Each Webkinz comes with a secret code that allows a child to log on to the company's website, adopt her animal and access the online Webkinz world. There, kids play games for "KinzCash" used to "pay" for pet food and items like furniture and clothes. They also can talk with pals in restricted chat rooms.
Such websites that target school-age children also lure much younger kids to the computer. At a time when the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only one to two hours a day for children ages 2 and up, parents are right to worry about how much is too much. Given that young Webkinz devotees tend to obsess about their pets, parents may find it difficult to set limits.
Webkinz weaning tips:
Keep a log. For one week, track how much time your child is spending on webkinz.com.
Set clear limits. Kids under age 5 should not be in front of a screen, including TV, for more than one hour a day, so Webkinz time should be budgeted accordingly.
Create an off-line Webkinz world. Encourage him to use his imagination to build an off-line home for his "pet."
Monitor Webkinz chats. Social networking and instant messaging are better left to tweens and teens.
Ann Pleshette Murphy is ABC's Good Morning America parenting expert and author of The 7 Stages of Motherhood, new in paperback.
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Young employees and their eggless nests
Are you 30 or under and enrolled in a 401(k) plan? If so, you are in a minority. A Hewitt Associates survey shows that less than half of 20-somethings contribute to one. And about 40% of those who do aren't forking over enough to get the full company match, if their employer offers one.
How to get onboard: Find out how much you need to save to retire and how you can boost your savings now. Log on to Fidelity's new myPlan Snapshot calculator at fidelity.com/myPlan.
And know that signing up for a 401(k) is getting a lot easier, thanks to the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Now, some companies offer automatic enrollment, making the process more of a no-brainer.
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Airport valet parking
Tired of hunting for that elusive parking spot when you get to the airport? Next time, hand off your car and keys to a valet. Big-city airports like Boston's Logan Airport, Los Angeles International and Reagan National now offer valet parking. So do a host of smaller city airports, including Indianapolis International and Charlotte (N.C.) Douglas.
Note that some require an advance reservation. And at Reagan National, you'll still need to take a shuttle van to get to the terminal. But other airports, such as Miami International, allow you to drop off your car at the departure level.
The cost of valet parking at most airports: between $13 and $40 per day.
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For the "good life," you've gotta exercise
When it comes to her personal philosophy for living a good life, Bobbi Brown has three core goals: "achieving and maintaining balance, cultivating a positive outlook, and loving yourself the way you are." Brown, the CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and author of "Bobbi Brown Living Beauty," maintains that without fitness, none of these things can be achieved. "Life is really hard if you don't exercise," she says.
So, how do you make sure that exercise is part of your regular routine? "You schedule it," she says. "I schedule fitness activities like I do business meetings." Here are a few other tips for making exercise a priority in your life:
Music motivates Bobbi Brown during workouts.
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Set your alarm 45 minutes before your family gets up or before you would normally get up.
Make exercise a part of your social life. "I even asked all my friends to join me for a walk on my birthday," the beauty expert says.
Cut out the junk. "If you're not eating properly, you're not going to feel like exercising," Brown says.
Create any kind of home gym you can -- even if it's just a few free weights or an exercise ball.
"Music is key," she notes. "I like popular rap music; it really keeps me motivated."
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