Post by Velar Fricative on Jan 26, 2015 13:38:05 GMT -5
I don't have strong feelings about Santa either but I hate that the Easter Bunny is enough of a thing that this question needs to be asked. It's the Easter Bunny! Literally, a make-believe rabbit who's not as fun as a make-believe guy who brings gifts to kids anyway.
I have a really hard time lying to my kid. I feel like Santa is pushing it. I don't think we will do Easter bunny. I don't have any connections to feelings as a kid about the Easter bunny. It honestly seems weird.
I have no idea what to do about Easter. We're agnostic and celebrate a secular Christmas (with Santa), but I have a hard time getting it up for Easter.
We are similar (both atheists, H is Jewish) and celebrate Christmas. For Easter, we don't celebrate at home but we do go to an egg hunt hosted by the city.
I feel like all of the characters (Santa, EB, tooth fairy, etc) kind of go hand in hand in terms of belief. So I'd be nervous that if my kid found out about one, he'd figure out that all of them are made up.
Luckily for us, Santa went down first. Unluckily for DS, he has not yet lost a tooth!
Last year DS asked me, "how does the Easter Bunny know what size tshirt I wear?" EB is smart, kiddo
Post by ilikedonuts on Jan 26, 2015 14:11:26 GMT -5
I don't want someone to tell my kid. Obviously its not something you can totally control though and I know that. I understand that other parents can't ultimately stop their kids from telling other kids that, but I think its a nice gesture to other parentss to say to your own kid who knows they aren't real (or if you don't do Santa, EB, etc) "hey this is a family thing and we keep it within our family. please don't tell other kids."
Post by Queen Mamadala on Jan 26, 2015 15:21:17 GMT -5
No. My kids have never "believed" in the Easter Bunny... or Santa. They don't say anything to their friends or peers, but at 10 and 8, most kids are well aware such characters are mythical in nature.
We talk about the Easter Bunny, but we don't pretend that he's real or brings gifts. Our Easter baskets only ever had candy, but we knew they were from our parents. They weren't a surprise when we woke up one morning like Santa.
I don't want someone to tell my kid. Obviously its not something you can totally control though and I know that. I understand that other parents can't ultimately stop their kids from telling other kids that, but I think its a nice gesture to other parentss to say to your own kid who knows they aren't real (or if you don't do Santa, EB, etc) "hey this is a family thing and we keep it within our family. please don't tell other kids."
It never crossed my mind that people believed in an actual Easter bunny before this board.
I usually forget until it comes up in a thread like this.
Me too! I didn't know the Easter Bunny was believed in.
I don't want someone to tell my kid. Obviously its not something you can totally control though and I know that. I understand that other parents can't ultimately stop their kids from telling other kids that, but I think its a nice gesture to other parentss to say to your own kid who knows they aren't real (or if you don't do Santa, EB, etc) "hey this is a family thing and we keep it within our family. please don't tell other kids."
This is what we tell DD1, and we remind her of it often during the holidays. I can't stop her from forgetting and saying something, though. She is not winning any awards in the field of impulse control at this age.
This is going to sound harsh and I don't mean it as a personal attack on anyone, but I don't know another way to put it. If you choose to lie to your kids, even a common and well-intentioned lie like this one, you are taking a risk that someone other than you is going to reveal the truth to your child. I don't feel like you have a right to be angry about it if someone does spill the beans. It's an inevitability.
I have no idea what to do about Easter. We're agnostic and celebrate a secular Christmas (with Santa), but I have a hard time getting it up for Easter.
Look outside. Now ask yourself if you want to celebrate SPRING!
If someone (especially an adult) tells my kid just to be an asshole and shit on the magic, then yes, I'll be pissed.
If another kid innocently blurts it out or an adult is overheard or something, then no, that's the way life goes. Kids often don't figure these things out solely on the power of their own deduction - they get old enough that they start to pick up more on the world around them, including the random things they overhear.
Yeah I would care. It's the magic of it all. With time DD will figure out but I would be really hurt if someone told her and ruined it for her before she was ready.
If someone (especially an adult) tells my kid just to be an asshole and shit on the magic, then yes, I'll be pissed.
This is where I'm at. There are some adults out there that like to ruin this shit for kids just because they don't think a kid should believe in it. Its not their place to do that and it makes them an asshole.
Kids are kids and you can't control what they say or do. Adults can absolutely not be assholes and ruin stuff for kids.
If someone (especially an adult) tells my kid just to be an asshole and shit on the magic, then yes, I'll be pissed.
This is where I'm at. There are some adults out there that like to ruin this shit for kids just because they don't think a kid should believe in it. Its not their place to do that and it makes them an asshole.
Kids are kids and you can't control what they say or do. Adults can absolutely not be assholes and ruin stuff for kids.
So I should stop running through the mall at Christmas time yelling "SANTA IS YOUR PARENTS!!!"?
Post by spunkarella on Jan 26, 2015 16:09:44 GMT -5
My mom was all about Santa and the tooth fairy, but we never did the Easter Bunny.
Like @notquiteblushing, the bunny was at the mall for pictures and mom made our baskets and handed them to us.
I don't think it affected my belief in Santa and the tooth fairy. And I still don't really get how the bunny is "supposed" to work. I don't think I realized that the bunny was something to "believe in" until I was an adult.
I don't want someone to tell my kid. Obviously its not something you can totally control though and I know that. I understand that other parents can't ultimately stop their kids from telling other kids that, but I think its a nice gesture to other parentss to say to your own kid who knows they aren't real (or if you don't do Santa, EB, etc) "hey this is a family thing and we keep it within our family. please don't tell other kids."
This is what we tell DD1, and we remind her of it often during the holidays. I can't stop her from forgetting and saying something, though. She is not winning any awards in the field of impulse control at this age.
This is going to sound harsh and I don't mean it as a personal attack on anyone, but I don't know another way to put it. If you choose to lie to your kids, even a common and well-intentioned lie like this one, you are taking a risk that someone other than you is going to reveal the truth to your child. I don't feel like you have a right to be angry about it if someone does spill the beans. It's an inevitability.
I liked this even though we will "do" santa, etc. because I also think the finding out is a part of growing up. I remember being so proud when I figured out santa wasn't real. It didn't take away the fact that I got cool presents or anything, so nbd. I only hope dd is as well adjusted
The Easter Bunny is an obvious fake. I mean, he doesn't even resemble something real. Both of my kids knew very young (2-3?) that it was a dude in a costume.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
I fucking love Easter it is my favoritist of favorites. We do a Unitarian Hippie celebration of life & new beginnings & birth & Spring&&&& an all you can eat Italian pastry feast &&&& I do the bunny up BIG !! We go to like 3 Easter Bunny Breakfasts & like 2 egg hunts!
If some jerk faced grow up cut my kids magic short I would be like PISSED at the grow up. When he picks up on it on his own I will be totally okay with it whether he hears it from a friend or over hears a conversation.
Post by amaristella on Jan 26, 2015 19:37:15 GMT -5
Reading this thread has been informational to me. Growing up we watched my mom put the bunny ears headband on and then closed the curtains while she went out in the yard and hid the eggs. After we found them all we took turns hiding them again. I was unaware that the Easter Bunny was intended to be presented as a real thing. But then again much the same thing happened with Santa. Santa was never presented as real to us so I wouldn't even know how. Like, what do you tell them? I'm aware from movies and books what the idea behind Santa is. Does the Easter Bunny have a story?
And I think on some level I understand what's being said about holidays being magical but I always loved holidays growing up. I don't think I would describe my memories as magical. Whimsical, maybe?
Are there any other holiday characters commonly presented as real that I need to know about?
Post by changedname on Jan 26, 2015 20:14:11 GMT -5
Omg Easter bunny! I saw eb and was like "egglands best?"
I watch way too many commercials.
And to answer the question - couldn't care less. Its not on the Father Christmas or Tooth Fairy level for me. Its more on a par with a St Patrick's day leprechaun. I don't think I thought it was real even as a child.
We do the Easter Bunny (and Santa), and while we tell our kids the truth as soon as the ask or question it and certainly don't go to great lengths to hide the fact that it is make believe, I would still prefer that others not tell them first. It is one of any number of topics that, in a perfect world, I would like to get to discuss with my kids before others do (not unlike sex, drugs, religion, and death). I wouldn't be angry, though, unless it was done maliciously--just bummed.