I can't help but think after this weekend that there is no return from the land of consumerism and gluttony. I have always been a big fan of holidays, who isn't? Time off from work, time you get to spend with your family, right? This Easter weekend seemed to go by so fast, but ended up being the most tiring weekend my family has had in a while. Too much travel, not enough of a schedule for the boy and too much junk food!
Call me a crazy, no fun Momma (some of my relatives did this weekend), but I don't like to give the boy lots and lots of sweets and candy no matter the occasion. People know this about me...maybe I am hypersensitive about it and just don't know it!? The boy doesn't need a lot of candy. He doesn't get it very often, but he DEFINITELY knows what it is. Childhood obesity is such an epidemic, I want to teach my son (and future offspring) that, to quote Cookie Monster, "Cookies (add candy, cake, sweets, etc.) are a sometimes food." Imagine my shock and surprise when I pick him up from Daycare and he says "The Easter Bunny brings chocolate." He didn't learn that from us.
So, to celebrate Easter, keep in mind this is supposed to be a religious holiday, my parents decided to go overboard on the candy. Since it was more Winter than Spring this Easter, the grandparents did an indoor Easter Egg hunt for the Boy and his 16 month old cousin. Between the two of them, they shared approximately 100 candy filled plastic eggs. The Boy is much quicker than his cousin, so I would say Nicholas's Easter Basket was twice as full in the end. I didn't freak out, but did share with my soon-to-be sister in-law that we didn't put candy in the boy's Easter Basket. She asked, "What did he get then?" To which I replied, "Two books, a harmonica and a kite." She then said, "Wow that sounds like fun." (Note implied sarcasm as you read.) I didn't need to put in any candy obviously and now the question at the end of the hunt was what are we (parents) going to do with all this candy???
Luckily, we had another Easter event to attend on Sunday. Needless to say, we provided ALL the eggs for the hunt. So, the Boy ended up with about 15 candy filled eggs when all was said and done. The Boy loves his grandparents and they obviously love him, but the chocolate explosion on Saturday afternoon was a lot to handle. How do you tell grandma and grandpa thanks, but no thanks? I guess most parents do like we did and just take all the candy home, say thank you to the g-parents, and hope that you can get your child to forget about the candy for at least 5 seconds in order to dispose of it.
The Boys and I try to be God-focused and devout in our lives. Easter for us is a celebration of Christ, but it is hard to explain that to a two-year old. I know we don't want holidays to be about gifts and candy, etc. So, last night, we made a somewhat feeble attempt to talk about Jesus with The Boy. Kids are so right on sometimes. At the end of our brief nighly prayer time, the boy asked where Jesus was. We told him Jesus was in his heart. The boy in all his childlike wisdom and faith lifted up his shirt, pointed to his chest and said "There he is!" That is what Easter should be about.
One week in!
7 years ago
1 comment:
I could not agree with you more. I passed the mall on the Saturday before Easter and it was PACKED. The roads were a mess too with all the "before holiday rushing around". I was prepared for it at Christmas (as sad as that sounds) but Easter? I worry that by the time Viv is old enough to understand the meaning of Easter the whole world will have gone crazy. Has it always been this way? I know how I feel about Easter and I am secure in that knowledge and my faith, but now that I am resposible for teaching another about God's love for her I am painfully aware that there's a lot working against me. Good vs. evil? I guess that's why we must show her through our example and the example of other's who know God what Easter is all about; not just on one chocolate covered weekend either. The most I can hope for is that, like Nicholas, Viv will be able to discern the difference for herself based on our example. Way to go Jess! I think, even at the tender age of 2, the boy's got the right idea (about a lot of things...hamster's, pork products, God etc. ha ha) and that has everything to do with what a good parents you and Jason are and nothing to do with chocolate bunnies! You give me hope that good will win over evil in the end.
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