Monday, October 27, 2008

After many months of searching, we finally landed a Wii Fit a few weeks ago.

For those of you unfamiliar with this entity, it's a video game for the Nintendo Wii that's based on physical activity. There are balance games, aerobic events, strength activities, and yoga poses. You may have seen the famous hula hooping video. I don't look exactly like that when I play, but it's been fairly entertaining for us.

Daisy has been digging it a lot. She's always been the type of kid who likes lots of structure on her everyday activities. In the past when she's been outside skipping rope or riding her scooter, she'd beg me to create some sort of rope skipping lesson plan or scooter riding curriculum. It was never enough to just enjoy performing an activity. She wanted to get measured and then told what a good job she did jumping or skipping or breathing or whatever.

"Daisy," I'd reluctantly coo, "congratulations on your scooting/breathing biathlon."

"How... many... points did I... get?" she'd sputter, completely winded from the event.

"Uh... 69. 69 points."

"Ooooooh! 69! Can I try again? I'm going for 70!!" she'd squeal.

We spent a lot of afternoons that way. Now, thankfully, I have the Wii Fit to sub in for me.

The other day she was taking the Body Test on the device, where it asks you to perform one of the exercises where it measures your balance control or the evenness of your posture. The event it chose for her was..."Walking in place"

"Yay!" Daisy screamed, "I LOOVE this one!"

And sure, enough, the test consisted of her walking in place, atop the Wii Fit balance board. What was fun about it? I have no idea. There are lots of fun activities in the Fit, but this is NOT one of them.

Afterwards, the Wii noted that she had logged a dozen minutes on the device that day, and "rewarded" her by unlocking another activity. This one was the "Lotus".

This event instructs you to sit upon the balance board in the Lotus position (with your legs crossed) and the goal is to sit as still as possible. That's it. Just sit still.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with raising children, it's commonly accepted that the Holy Grail of parenting is to get your kids to shut the hell up and sit quietly. I can't remember how many times I've joked to Daisy that we're going to play "Statue" or "Quiet Tag" or "Coma Endurance Challenge" and my suggestions have always been rejected.

But, Wii Fit Lotus? That, apparently, is the bees knees of fun. It's fun on a goddamn stick.

Amazing.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn. I gotta get me one of those.

Sue said...

Oh how I want one too....

Mike said...

Yeah, we've been enjoying it. Personally I could go for a little more shooting and gore in my video games, but it's definitely family friendly.

Avery Gray said...

The Wii Fit was fun...for about a week. It got old quick. Now we get our cardio workouts playing drums on "Hot For Teacher" on Guitar Hero World Tour. Seriously, have you tried it? In-sane.

loveyh said...

If I can ever find one, dammit, I'm getting one! 'Cause nobody wants to watch my fat swivel hypnotically around in circles in public.

Anonymous said...

Sounds perfect for my girls! I love anything that encourages quiet time without Mama yelling,(or worse, whispering) "This is g-d QUIET TIME!!! Now go BE QUIET while mama fixes herself a Drink. It's only 3 pm? Oh honey I'm so glad you've learned to tell time. Now go be quiet so I can make that drink"

Hey, is there a Wii Bartender? Ahhhh kids....

Oh and Hot For Teacher is one of my favorite songs! Now I HAVE to get it.

Mike said...

Avery, I'm not sure I know how that would look. If only someone hadn't promised a video and then failed to produce one...

Lovey, we'll never know if that's true unless you upload a hula hooping video! Man, I'm all about the videos today.

Meg, there SHOULD be a Wii Bartender. You'd have to know which drinks to shake and which to stir. Fun for the whole family!

Anonymous said...

I'll wait patiently for you to create this for Nintendo. No need for kids to grow up not knowing how to fix Mommy and Daddy a smart cocktail!

Mike said...

Amen, sister.

Ms.PhD said...

LOL!

I got a Wii a few months ago, and that was also my thought about the Lotus.

I thought, "If they can get kids to do this, it's gosh darn miracle."

My old fat ass? Thinks, "Ha! 3 minutes of rest!"

Wii bartender is an effing brilliant idea, btw. Somebody should totally make that.