Hello! It's been a little bit since my last post (I appologise!). As Easter is approaching this year, I am finding myself questioning out traditions. I guess I really started questioning last year. I feel like I am just going through the motions when it comes to the Easter Bunny. Infact, these past two years I even FORGET to talk to the kids about him! It's like Easter week will come and I am like 'Oh kids, totally forgot, the Easter Bunny comes this weekend".
We started our journey at our church and into Christianity in 2008. Only 3 years into our journey and we are very VERY passionate about our faith! With my kids I have really been focusing, the last 2 years, on Jesus' cruxifiction and ressurection, instead of the Easter Bunny. Infact, I am seeing how the Easter Bunny often overshadows Easter's TRUE meaning. Was he created for this purpose? To get us away from the message of hope that Jesus' death and ressurection brings? I am torn. On one hand I am fine with saying "hey kids, the Easter Bunny isn't real." but with that statement comes other things. Is Santa real? I think we can incorporate Santa into the real meaning of Christmas (I say that Santa brings us gifts just like the Wisemen brought Jesus gifts, to remind us of the miracle on Christmas day and that God loves us all so much".) But how do you incorporate the Easter Bunny with the story of Good Friday and Easter? How can a basket of candy left or an Easter egg hunt have ANYTHING to do with it? And what about their innocent childhoods? What about the magic of it all to them? The Easter Bunny, Santa, the Tooth Fairy? Should I really start to take that away from them (with taking away the Easter Bunny) at 6 and 3? It's juts not black and white in my opinion. There's so much grey area to this subject. I am open to any thoughts, ideas or suggestions! Peace to you all!
I have been struggling with this so much lately. I'm hoping others will have good advice to share :)
ReplyDeleteMany Christian mothers have these same questions. My husband and I are honest with our children when explaining "Easter traditions". There is nothing Christian about any of these symbols. We focus on the true meaning of Easter which is Jesus, and explain that the rest is just fun "folklore".
ReplyDeleteDo we participate in the egg coloring and hunts and candy baskets? Yes, but our children know that it's just fun and not what Easter is about.
And yes we do the same with Christmas. We feel it's better they know growing up what it's all really about.
Although my mom thinks we are wrong about what we do, I refuse to lie to my children. I believe that make-believe and imagination is good...but I don't like my children believing (and focusing) on the Easter bunny or Santa Claus coming to leave presents. My mother (whom I love and respect in the highest regard) thinks it is just fun with the children....I am just not a fan of it, myself. I also want my children to appreciate how hard their daddy works and know that the gifts they receive are from love and devotion from their father and me. :) We still dye eggs for fun and hunt eggs. I still love for things to be *fun*. I just want everything to be based on truth (and The Truth, Jesus). :)
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on this issue. I had someone tell me once that when their kids asked about the 'fictional characters' that they just asked them what they thought. Then they said 'ok' to whatever the kids thought (assuming it wasn't against religious beliefs, of course). Then it wasn't them bring it up or 'lying' to them.....
ReplyDeleteI don't like the characters being focus either so we minimize them as much as possible. I am a TERRIBLE tooth fairy, $$ is usually late or all change....oh well. Santa only brings small, unexpensive stuff that fills small stockings. Usually some candy or pop that they normally wouldn't have otherwise. Easter bunny only brings goodies...we get them a few 'better gifts', books or something like that. All of the stuff to get excited about only comes from us, for all the holidays. Seems to work well. They get the 'fairy tale' and we get to incorporate the real meanings of holidays!
Oh my gosh Nicole, I am cracking up with the whole tooth fairy thing! That sounds like me. There were a couple times when my oldest was little (she's 13 now) and I would go to bed, start to fall asleep and think "Oh No, I forgot the tooth fairy money!" I think one time I actually forgot and I said "just put it under again tonight, she must have been busy ro didn't know you lost it yet". LOL
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