A while ago I heard Ben talking to Max, telling him that he was sure there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny - because a giant bunny hiding eggs in your yard is ridiculous. Max and Ben both have expressed this to me and each time I just crack up.
Anyway, the other day we were at Target getting a birthday present for one of Ben's friends. We are in the lego aisle and Ben really wanted me to buy him a lego car. He argued that it was only $5 and that they are really cool. Max quickly chimes in, saying he will help pay with his money. This confuses me because Max has no money. Anyway, I tell Ben "no". He proceeds to throw a fit and that's when I walk away from him. Ben catches up and keeps on whining. About this time I am really questioning the sanity of taking 4 boys to Target alone.
Finally I say, "Fine, Ben I'll get you the car for Easter instead of an Easter basket with candy."
Ben looks shocked, "What? You're the Easter Bunny???"
"You already knew there was no Easter Bunny - who did you think was hiding those eggs and leaving you candy?"
"I didn't think it was you! You always were the last one to find the eggs!"
At this point Alexander pipes in and says, "Ben, Ben...that's just something parents do to trick you."
Honestly I have been so worried about "lying" to my kids about these things but I think Ben was more disappointed to find out the truth. Just like when I told Alexander about Santa Claus. His reply was, "I still believe!" and this was after months and months of him asking me if Santa was real. I just can't win.
And I'm also wondering...as a religious person is it bad to tell my kids about Santa and the Easter Bunny? Does it detract from the true meaning of the holiday(s)? I've always thought it was a magical part of childhood...I'm hoping it's the same for my kids. What do you think?
13 comments:
ooohh I have a major opinion on this one. My parents had a real Santa come in to our house on Christmas morning and we hid out of our beds in the dark and watched him bring in a few things. Santa was a very real thing for me as a kid, and I LOVED that. As we got older and found out, it was fun to watch our younger siblings. Children need to be children for as long as they can. Childhood is the best part of life...Santa for me now symbolizes Christ in many ways...I still believe.
I have to agree with the person who posted ahead of me. When the kids get older the meaning does change to a more spiritual one. Sooner or later they figure it all out.
Tim and I have debated this one a lot! I think we have come to agree that if we stress what Christmas and Easter are really about (JESUS CHRIST)and focus on that aspect as much as possible it doesn't matter what else we do.
I too, loved Santa Claus as a kid and my dad would go to extremes to convince us he was real. And it's fun to be the older kid and "be in on the secret" too. I believed in the Easter bunny, but he wasn't as magical and fun. I guess something about a giant bunny bringing eggs seemed absurd even when I was a young child. I have to agree with Ian on that one.
I think my kids have always known how crazy it is to have a giant colorful man-sized bunny hopping throughout the world hiding plastic eggs full of cash or chocolate. All have had the "Whatcha-talkin'bout-Willis" expression on their faces as we have explained this horrible tradition to them. They do love hiding and finding those eggs over and over again for that day though--I can't wait--happy,happy,joy,joy.
You can have the fantasy while still focusing on the important, true meanings of the holiday. We all want to believe.
The Easter Bunny I've never had trouble with, I guess because we always do him on Saturday while we celebrate the true meaning of Easter on Sunday.
I did struggle with the Santa Claus thing. I remember Christmas being magical and Santa was a big part of that, but I worried about telling Joseph. He is so sensitive I worried how he would take it. Then, 2 Christmases ago he kept asking about it. I didn't want to lie to him so I'd just say "What do you think?" That would put him off for a while, but he would always come back to it. Finally he said "Just tell me." So, I explained about Saint Nikolaus and how he was a real person and that he did nice things for other people and how parents liked what he did so much that they wanted to be like him and pay tribute to him, so they kept the tradition going. I explained that the spirit of Santa is real and that anytime you do something for someone else without them knowing then you become Santa. So, that year to make Christmas special for him we decided to play Santa for people in our family. He picked out what he wanted to do for each person. He was so excited to do secret service for others and he was excited to be Santa, so it all worked out. He still believes in Santa, it just means something different to him now. I think there is room for Santa and Jesus, especially when you think that Santa is doing something that Jesus taught - doing nice things for others.
Sorry that was so long.
Kim, I love your way of explaining Santa - that is perfect!
Hi Sheri! It is Amanda Dettman (I'm not sure if you will know my user name). I've been looking at your blog a lot in the recent weeks because I am trying to do my own, but I don't know what I am doing. It is very cute. I just wanted to tell you we have never told our kids Santa brings them presents and our kids still love Christmas morning just as much as the next kid. As a kid, I remember not believing, even when my parents encouraged the idea. Maybe it was because I was the youngest and it was harder to keep going. But honestly, kids seem too smart to buy into it anyway. I wonder if they just play along sometimes. The Easter Bunny seems totally ridiculous so that hasn't even been an issue. We do baskets and egg hunts on the Saturday before. There is my two cents!
Thanks, Sheri. Now I can't let Caitlin read your blog. I think she might know and just pretends not to. I think she's old enough so maybe I should let her read the blog instead of having to tell her. Great idea!! Hey will you explain the birds and bees on your blog too. I would really love to avoid that conversation as well.
Didn't we all believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny at one point? Don't we all know of and worship with the upmost love and respect Jesus's birth, life, death, and resurrection? There is something absolutely magical and whimsical about the holidays. I would never want to deprive my children of that aspect of life.
I also love Kim's explanation. What a beautiful way to explain Santa to our children when the time is right.
I agree that Santa and the Easter Bunny are a wonderful, magical part of childhood and I wouldn't want to deprive my kids of that! I LOVE Kim's thoughts on how to transition it over...
Having said that, I have an 11 year old girl who STILL believes in all of it! She is getting too old for it all and Ian, who is 7, is even starting to show signs of doubting things.... I'm going to have to spill it to her soon, but I'm afraid she'll be crushed. Sounds like Alexander is a professional in this arena, can you ask him to have a little "talk" with Megan soon???
And, if and when you do spill the beans on the birds and the bees, I'll leave your blog page open for my daughter to read and get educated. That talk is looming before me and I'm dreading it!
I haven't admitted to my kids yet that either are fake, although I think Boston and Mason know about Santa and the Easter Bunny.
One of my favorite Easter memories are of spending Easter in Escalante, Utah at my uncles. We would catch scorpians and put them in a jar with 10-15 black ants and watch them fight. By the way, the ants win.
Really? I would've thought for sure the scorpions would win - they are scary, vicious little creatures.
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