You'll recall last Christmas season I had some inner conflict about Santa. Now that Ella has reached an age where questions abound about how Santa and the Easter Bunny operate, I feel like more lies are told to cover up the lies. I know it's all about childhood innocence and the magic, blah, blah, blah--but I had kind of told myself that Santa I could do, the Easter Bunny I was going to downplay. I was hoping that we could have our Easter traditions and the Easter Bunny wouldn't even come into the equation. I decided I wouldn't deny the existence of the Easter Bunny, but I wasn't going to hype it up or concoct a whole bunch of lies to protect him.
Over a week ago, we're all driving in the car when the following exchange happens:
E: Mom, Ms. Susan says that the Easter Bunny will come to our house.
Me: Oh, she did? Hmmm. Well, really the Easter Bunny is about the spirit of Easter. He's a fun character that comes out at Easter time.
B: (under his breath) It's a slippery slope, dear.
Silence.
E: So he won't come to our house?
Me: We'll do lots of fun things at our house.
Over a week ago, we're all driving in the car when the following exchange happens:
E: Mom, Ms. Susan says that the Easter Bunny will come to our house.
Me: Oh, she did? Hmmm. Well, really the Easter Bunny is about the spirit of Easter. He's a fun character that comes out at Easter time.
B: (under his breath) It's a slippery slope, dear.
Silence.
E: So he won't come to our house?
Me: We'll do lots of fun things at our house.
Silence.
I looked in my rear view mirror to see Ella pensively staring out the window.
I looked in my rear view mirror to see Ella pensively staring out the window.
My heart broke.
In a matter of 10 seconds I feared that I had killed the Easter bunny. I felt a portion of my daughter's innocence evaporate. What had I done??? I kept replaying the conversation back in my head. Maybe Ella hadn't understood what I was saying. I mean, I was vague enough, right? She's only 5-years-old--did she interpret that to mean there was no Easter bunny? Why didn't I think this through more?
And so, I decided I somehow had to resurrect the Easter bunny. The next day as a way of assuaging my guilt, I went to Target to buy all kinds of things for the Easter Bunny to bring. Gobs of candy, stickers, Polly pockets, bubbles, nail polish, lip gloss, Easter socks--this Easter Bunny was going to rock. The next task was to casually slip in to conversation that the Easter Bunny exists.
So I waited for Ella to bring it up again. Surely she would. Ella is an extremely cerebral child. She analyzes everything. She'll ask you an onslaught of questions--internalize your answers for a day or two, come back with new questions. No stone is left unturned. She wants logical explanations to everything. Perhaps this is why Santa and the Easter Bunny have been difficult--she wants to know everything. (The conversations about death from the past month and a half after my Grandma's passing is material for another post.)
But Ella never brought the Easter bunny up again.
It didn't help that after I came out of my bathroom from blow-drying my hair one morning, Ella sat on my bed and said, "Mom, was I supposed to see that Polly Pocket thing in your closet?"
"Um, no" I replied. "That was a surprise. I guess it's not any more."
Great. More cover-ups were needed. I couldn't put the Polly Pocket in her basket from the Easter Bunny, because she knows I bought it. I had a chalk-full week and couldn't go exchange it for another one or get something else. Plus she was on spring break and she certainly couldn't accompany me to the store. Aaargh.
"Um, no" I replied. "That was a surprise. I guess it's not any more."
Great. More cover-ups were needed. I couldn't put the Polly Pocket in her basket from the Easter Bunny, because she knows I bought it. I had a chalk-full week and couldn't go exchange it for another one or get something else. Plus she was on spring break and she certainly couldn't accompany me to the store. Aaargh.
So last Thursday, while Brian was working late, Ella and I started dying Easter eggs. This was it--we had to talk about the Easter Bunny.
Me: So have you thought about what the Easter Bunny might bring you?
E: (eyes wide open) But Mom, I thought you said the Easter Bunny wasn't real!
Shoot. I was right. How could I have been so heartless?
Me: Oh Ella, I'm sorry. The Easter Bunny will come to our house. I'm sorry I made you think he wouldn't.
E: Oh my gosh. I'm so excited. I hope he brings me some more pet shop animals and lots of candy. How does he get in our house? Does he come down the chimney like Santa? It's a good thing he's a bunny and can hop fast to get to everyone's house...
And the deluge of questions continued. So I swallowed, answered her questions the best I could and basked in the joy of a young child so eager to believe.
The Easter Bunny now lives again. A certain little girl anxiously awaited his arrival, not falling asleep for the night until at least 1:30am (she outlasted me). But he ate our carrots (left in front of the fireplace) and filled our baskets with goodies.
Me: So have you thought about what the Easter Bunny might bring you?E: (eyes wide open) But Mom, I thought you said the Easter Bunny wasn't real!
Shoot. I was right. How could I have been so heartless?
Me: Oh Ella, I'm sorry. The Easter Bunny will come to our house. I'm sorry I made you think he wouldn't.
E: Oh my gosh. I'm so excited. I hope he brings me some more pet shop animals and lots of candy. How does he get in our house? Does he come down the chimney like Santa? It's a good thing he's a bunny and can hop fast to get to everyone's house...
And the deluge of questions continued. So I swallowed, answered her questions the best I could and basked in the joy of a young child so eager to believe.
The Easter Bunny now lives again. A certain little girl anxiously awaited his arrival, not falling asleep for the night until at least 1:30am (she outlasted me). But he ate our carrots (left in front of the fireplace) and filled our baskets with goodies.
PS- A big thanks goes to the Harpers for granting us the use of your bunny for pics.
PPS- Is it possible my children will need therapy by the time I'm done raising them?
6 comments:
So did you give Ella the polly pocket still? Was she thrown by that? These things (Easter Bunny, Santa) are always a hard call for me too. I'm never that sneaky though. The kids have always figured it out pretty young when the same candy that was in their stocking/easter basket also appears in the cupboard. But it is fun to share the magic with them when they are young.
She'll find out the truth soon enough. Jackson asked Daddy if he was the Easter Bunny because Daddy kept telling him where to look for candy. Oh, well. He had such a joyful day. Sometimes I wish I had more fun things to anticipate like the Bunny and Santa... I think she will be able to skip the therapy.
Let her innocence last as long as possible. The time flies by so quickly. We had a good time watching Jackson and Luke discover the Easter eggs in the living room - watching the excitement of each new discovery. Things get hard enough as they grow older. Enjoy these precious moments.
So there were actually 2 polly-pockets in the closet and I had figured out which one she probably saw. Brian suggested that I have the one she didn't see in her Easter basket and then just give the other one to her as an Easter present from us. It worked splendidly and she continues to discuss how funny it was that the Easter bunny gave her almost the same thing as mom and dad.
someone gave us a DVD called "The Easter Bunny is Coming To Town" it's a claymation old school one and it is a different take to the EB, maybe preview it first and then watch it together? I think Ella might get a kick out of the whole "back story" part of it. maybe the magic will last longer??
Jana, this post is so funny, I was almost peeing my pants when i was reading it. (especially the "slipery slope" part from Brian!). I've been away from the Bulletin for too long! I miss yoU!
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