Holiday Expectations
I feel like there needs to be a Holiday standard for parents to adhere to so kids don't get all crazy with expectations. I am not trying to sound like a Grinch or anything because I love holidays. I love giving things to my kids. But sometimes it's just too much.
For example, Easter baskets.
When I was a kid, I got a basket with little Easter like trinkets and candies, and of course, a chocolate bunny with candy eyes. And maybe a card from my parents. Pretty nice and simple. Matt said he never got anything like that. There was an Easter dinner, and one, ONE, basket in the middle of the table for all of the kids to share.
With our kids, I wanted to do what I had growing up. Matt was fine with it.
I put in all the usual simple stuff. Maybe an Easter themed Peppa Pig book, or a pair of bunny ears. But nothing really super extravagant. Good simple easy done.
Now with Iris being in Kindergarten and kids talking about the big day all week, there are a lot of different traditions she has heard about. Most of them being totally ridiculous. According to my daughter's friend, Easter is like Christmas. So all day yesterday Iris said she's going to ask the Easter Bunny to bring her a bike. And she keeps talking about it. She also said that the Easter bunny brings presents to really good kids, and that he leaves chocolate footprints and gold coins. And that he hides presents and candy all over the house, and that sometimes, sometimes, he leaves you a baby bunny or a little Easter chick.
I kindly told her that the Easter bunny only leaves candy and that he is much too little to carry around bikes. I also reminded her that Easter is not like Christmas and that maybe the bunny does that stuff for her friends, but we asked him to only bring candy.
She's unconvinced and is still holding out hope for a toy and candy explosion tomorrow morning.
It happened on St. Patrick's Day too. She had this whole thing about making a leprechaun trap because, if she caught one he'd leave her candy and toys and good coins.
Ummmm, no. No, no, no. Nope sundae with no way Jose sauce.
It's exhausting. I can't keep up with this ever evolving "give kids more stuff than they know what to do with every holiday is a reason for candy and presents" that seems to be the norm now.
Like I said, I don't want to sound like a Grinch, because, I do love the fun of holidays. And I do love to give my kids Easter Baskets, and Valentines, and prizes in their stockings, and whatnot; but I just feel like the whole point of these holidays, and the simplicity of how they are supposed to be, gets lost in this business of the buy more stuff movement.
Anyway, I guess I will just take a deep breath and remember that this is just how kids are. And I will remind myself that just because my kids want these things, doesn't mean I have to give it to them. I will always do my best to make all their holidays magical. And I will remember, in those moments of feeling overwhelmed with high expectations, that I can show them that Holidays can be simple and wonderful and leave their hearts full of happiness, without having to give them a gifts and candy explosion.
On that note, I wish you all a very Happy Easter. And I hope the sugar high (and crash) of our little ones is easy to manage, and that we all have a lovely day with family and friends. And I hope that maybe the bunny leaves some extra cadbury mini eggs, and resses eggs just for us grown up kids too.
Hippity, Hoppity. xo
For example, Easter baskets.
When I was a kid, I got a basket with little Easter like trinkets and candies, and of course, a chocolate bunny with candy eyes. And maybe a card from my parents. Pretty nice and simple. Matt said he never got anything like that. There was an Easter dinner, and one, ONE, basket in the middle of the table for all of the kids to share.
With our kids, I wanted to do what I had growing up. Matt was fine with it.
I put in all the usual simple stuff. Maybe an Easter themed Peppa Pig book, or a pair of bunny ears. But nothing really super extravagant. Good simple easy done.
Now with Iris being in Kindergarten and kids talking about the big day all week, there are a lot of different traditions she has heard about. Most of them being totally ridiculous. According to my daughter's friend, Easter is like Christmas. So all day yesterday Iris said she's going to ask the Easter Bunny to bring her a bike. And she keeps talking about it. She also said that the Easter bunny brings presents to really good kids, and that he leaves chocolate footprints and gold coins. And that he hides presents and candy all over the house, and that sometimes, sometimes, he leaves you a baby bunny or a little Easter chick.
I kindly told her that the Easter bunny only leaves candy and that he is much too little to carry around bikes. I also reminded her that Easter is not like Christmas and that maybe the bunny does that stuff for her friends, but we asked him to only bring candy.
She's unconvinced and is still holding out hope for a toy and candy explosion tomorrow morning.
It happened on St. Patrick's Day too. She had this whole thing about making a leprechaun trap because, if she caught one he'd leave her candy and toys and good coins.
Ummmm, no. No, no, no. Nope sundae with no way Jose sauce.
It's exhausting. I can't keep up with this ever evolving "give kids more stuff than they know what to do with every holiday is a reason for candy and presents" that seems to be the norm now.
Like I said, I don't want to sound like a Grinch, because, I do love the fun of holidays. And I do love to give my kids Easter Baskets, and Valentines, and prizes in their stockings, and whatnot; but I just feel like the whole point of these holidays, and the simplicity of how they are supposed to be, gets lost in this business of the buy more stuff movement.
Anyway, I guess I will just take a deep breath and remember that this is just how kids are. And I will remind myself that just because my kids want these things, doesn't mean I have to give it to them. I will always do my best to make all their holidays magical. And I will remember, in those moments of feeling overwhelmed with high expectations, that I can show them that Holidays can be simple and wonderful and leave their hearts full of happiness, without having to give them a gifts and candy explosion.
On that note, I wish you all a very Happy Easter. And I hope the sugar high (and crash) of our little ones is easy to manage, and that we all have a lovely day with family and friends. And I hope that maybe the bunny leaves some extra cadbury mini eggs, and resses eggs just for us grown up kids too.
Hippity, Hoppity. xo
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