Ok mamas, I JUST bought all of my daughter's Easter basket goodies last week and hid them in the closet. I was so proud of myself for getting it done early! Well, last night my daughter found the bag. I didn't even think about it when she went into the closet, so that is totally my fault. She told me later that she saw a bag with Peeps in it and "What was that for?" I told her that I had just bought some peeps for our family get together to dye eggs. Then she said, "There was also a stuffed animal in it."
So my question, what age did you tell your kids about the Easter Bunny and other gift giving people? Am I totally busted?
We're not pretending the Easter Bunny is real. It's a fun thing to see at the mall, etc. But I don't want to lie and deal with the drama, and you can still pretend and have the fun without doing that.
My girls never really believed in the Easter bunny anyway. It was just too ridiculous to them that a rabbit would bring goodies. They believed in Santa until around 5 or 6. When one of them asked me about Santa, I would ask, "What do you really think?" They would give me the logic of a 5 yr-old. If it satisfied them, I said no more. Finally, they figured out there's really no free lunch and asked that serious question. I always told the truth. They are mothers themselves now and have done the same thing. It's always best to be truthful, but pretending is fun, so it shouldn't take the joy out of the occasion.
I think you should tell her the truth. I guess I don't understand why you would want to lie to her, ie. tell her something that doesn't exist, does. How will she trust you in other vague or difficult concepts, ie. a God she cannot see, but does exist? I don't understand the purpose of this deception, as kids are quite imaginative all on their own and capable of meaningful childhood experiences not dependent upon deceptions.
You don't mention how old your daughter is, but I tried to be pretty straightforward with my own children without eliminating the fun. They knew pretty early - well, as soon as they asked - that Mr. S. Claus and Mr. E. Bunny were sort of games people played so they could give surprise gifts to folks they cared about. We stressed the real meaning of these holidays, but did the make-believe things just for fun, and that didn't stop when the kids had the inside information.
The way we did it was this: once a child was old enough to know what the scoop was, he/she was old enough to help! First of all, the child was sworn to secrecy (no blabbing to siblings or friends)! Then he/she could help at Christmastime by contributing things to everyone else's Christmas stockings. At Easter they filled small baskets for certain friends and neighbors so the Bunny could visit THEM. They themselves got things, too, but it was a way to play the game and know what was true at the same time. It worked at our house.
Just say you made her an Easter basket and then make a smaller one from the Easter bunny or exchange the doll and put a different one in the basket.
We follow a strict if you dont believe you dont receive rule in our house. The girls have found some things from time to time. Sometimes I have given them to other children sometimes I play dumb. I dont know what you are talking about, I didnt put anything in the closet. The Easter Bunny and Santa put secret stashes out from time to time. I suggest you dont snoop any more. (taken from one of my favorite Little House episodes from years ago)
I just told mine that we buy the gifts and the easter bunny comes and arranges them. Just like how he takes the eggs we spend time coloring and hides them. He's a bit of a mischief maker but makes up for it by putting all the treats in the basket nice for us only taking a few jelly beans for himself.
So we shop for the treats together and hide the bag really good to prank him so he has to search and search for it just like he makes us look for the eggs. When the bunny finds the candy we bought, he hides some around the house with the eggs while putting the majority in a basket she leaves out for him to decorate in a sort of, "Ha ha I win this round, better luck next year!" sort of manner.
She loves going shopping for her easter treats and gleefully anticipates his visit, speculating for days on what sort of treat riddled mess he's going to make in the house and if we'll be able to hide our treats well enough so that he can't find them and take some for himself.
S.,
I would not say you are busted...you may have to take the items that are recognizable to her back to the store and get something else. That is the only way that i could see your cover NOT getting blown. I know that you were trying to get it done early but kids can find things in the most inopportune places LOL.
My oldest is 4 and knows that we give him a basket at Easter. I don't mind bunny decorations around Easter (and do the eggs, candy, etc.) but it actually never occurred to me to tell them that a bunny left it. :) I didn't realize people treat the Easter Bunny like a kind of Santa! I can't imagine it would be a big deal to tell her since it is just a fun thing to go along a really important holiday. I hide gifts in my closet, too--hope I don't start getting caught! =)
My son was 8 when he figured it out and asked. I did get busted at least once with 2 of my 4 kids so far. I kind of did what you did and told them it was either for someone else or for an upcoming celebration. I then found out how much they actually saw and replaced those items.
So in short, bring out the peeps during your Easter egg dying, don't put any in the basket and return the stuffed animal or take your daughter to donate it to a church or foundation that gives Easter baskets to needy children and call it a day.
She will ask you about the Easter Bunny, Santa, etc. when she is ready.
