Joy, my wife, and I are visiting our kids and grandkids. William will be turning two years of age this week; Sidra is ten. I started interviewing her just before her baby brother was born. She was so excited then. For the past couple of years we’ve chatted about sibling hood and other events in her life (6 Months Later: Being a New Sibling, Another Interview with Sidra, Science Camp).

We didn’t have that much of a chance to talk when they came to visit in San Jose, a couple of weeks ago. She promised to give me an interview the next time we saw each other.

The interview:

I had been thinking a lot about the concept of ‘fun’, before we drove down for this visit. We will be going to Disneyland for Will’s birthday. It will be his first time. Joy, and the kids and Sidra love it there. I wanted to get Sidra’s take on the whole matter, but mainly I just wanted to ask her what was going on in her life.

Zayde (that’s me): So Sidra, what’s new with you?

Sidra: The Shopkin Collection!

Z: What’s that?

S: Mini things-you-buy-in-the-store. Like milkshakes, microwaves, cartons of eggs, ice cream containers. They have faces.

Z: What do you like about them?

S: They are cute and collectible. There are 284 in the current season.

Z: So what is fun about them?

S: It’s so [much] fun, it’s life changing. You can make sets, like a vegetable stand or a grocery or other kind of store. You can pretend they are alive and you can pretend to buy them in the stores. They have friends, characteristics, their own voice.

Z; So what happens if you buy one and you don’t buy their friend?

S: They just make new friends.

Z: Tell me more about them:

S: You buy new Shopkins by rarity.

Z: What do you mean?

S: You buy them by how rare they are. Ultrarares are sparkly, Rares are normal, like commons. Special and Limited Editions can be metallic, super shiny, fluffy or clear. You can buy them in 20 packs, 12 packs, 5 packs and 2 packs. 12 packs have 10 visible shopkins and two ‘blind bags’ which can have a ‘special edition’  or a ‘limited edition’ Shopkin inside. A 5 pack has 4 visibles and one blind back with a ‘rare’ or ‘ultrarare’ inside.

Z: That sounds interesting.

S: They’re a fad of today. Enjoyable to girls. They make everyday things that are boring, cute and more interesting.

Z: I see how Shopkins can be fun. Tell me about fun at Disneyland.

S: You get to go on rides. You get to do something.

Z: So at Disneyland you actually get to do something. How would you compare fun with Shopkins with fun at Disneyland?

S: They are both awesome and life changing. Disneyland is more thrill seeking and Shopkins are surprising – waiting to see what you get. You can get dupes with Shopkins but not at Disneyland.

Z: You can go on a ride twice at Disneyland. That’s a dupe, isn’t it?

S: No, that’s not really a dupe.

Z: I see. Thank you for the interview.

S: You’re welcome. Now let’s play some basketball.