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Original poster

This amount of Easter eggs

236 replies

Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 10:49

To get straight into it - I get my children 10 Easter eggs each every Easter .

When I started it years ago , it was very cheap. I don’t get the huge ones . Years ago I could get one or 2 big ( the ones that are now medium ) and then the little ones ( they had more packaging and more in them ) and I would spend £20.

It all stems from my son’s autism , he is a young adult now. I’ve always said that birthday and Christmas is at least 10 presents and 10 eggs at Easter . It’s usually more at Christmas but it has became a security thing - he knows he’s getting at least 10 presents ( he does not care about the price , he’s not spoiled . I could get his main present and then 9 things from the pound shop ) .

I have had comments about it being too much . I don’t get gifts and balloon arches or anything like that. My youngest never eats them all , he barely touches them and we eat a lot of them 🤣 but I can’t get him less. Usually at the end of half term we melt the uneaten eggs and make cakes - so that’s an activity for a day of the holidays - , the uneaten chocolates all end up in a box for anyone to have.

For info - this is what I spent.

I got 2 of the “ 2 for £9” eggs , the bigger ones. So they have one each of those. Usually I get some medium and some small but as the small were £1.50 ( and I left it late so couldn’t find any anyway) but the medium were £2.30 in Asda I didn’t bother with the small. So I then got 4 for £12 ( 2 each ) then they had 7 each of the £2.30 ones . I spent £53 in total , so £26.50 each . Usually it’s less as I grab the smaller ones when they’re on offer in Morrisons , it just happened that I left it late this year.

Yes, it’s a lot on chocolate . But I see people getting hampers and balloons etc .

Is this really over the top ?

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 13:44

Emanresuunknown · 22/04/2025 12:51

That's a silly thing to say of course there's a difference. You could buy 2 small £1.50 eggs and then buy one of the egg Hunt kits/boxes that contain about 12 small hollow eggs and give him 8 of those. That would be vastly vastly less chocolate and would probably cost barely £10.

I think you just enjoy seeing 10 huge brightly coloured boxes but it's absolutely ridiculous.

Show quote history

Nothing to do with me enjoying it . As explained before , to him - Easter eggs come in boxes

OP posts:
zingally · 22/04/2025 13:40

10 definitely seems like a lot. Especially as one child is now a young adult, and the other doesn't give a shiny shit.

Autism or not, can they understand that 10 is just too expensive these days?

LoveMeLoveMyDawg · 22/04/2025 13:34

BoredZelda · 22/04/2025 10:58

I know a mum that still has to sing a Christmas as a bedtime song to her 12 year old autistic daughter. My own autistic teen needs to make sure her bedside table has everything in the right position before she goes to bed. We do what we have to do and we pick our battles. If 10 Easter eggs is the number, it’s the number. All you can do is get the best deal you can.

This!
You're doing what you need to do, it’s not like you’re showing off for Instagram or whatever.

My DS used to get given a fair few at Easter from family and the neighbourhood old ladies as he was the only baby in the area at that time.

i kept them in the cupboard and gave them out over the next few weeks, tbh me and his Ddad finished them as DS got fed up with them!

We all do what we do to get by, don’t worry OP.🌺

BusMumsHoliday · 22/04/2025 13:33

Mum to an autistic child. This is so very reasonable. It's such a minimal thing to do to make sure that the day goes happily for everyone. Yes, it's a lot of chocolate. But it's eaten over time, it's all used in some way, and you can afford it. You're not flaunting the consumption or going bigger and bigger every year. You're just... Having a nice Easter.

I don't know your DS's presentation or abilities, but if you did want to change things, might talking to him about "resetting" Easter, away from the day itself, work? Coming up with a new plan together? But really, your DS has to manage so much change every day, requiring energy that many people will never appreciate. You pick your battles. Keeping Easter the same and having a bit too much chocolate in the house for a few weeks is such a non problem.

Umbrellasinthesunshine · 22/04/2025 13:32

BoredZelda · 22/04/2025 10:58

I know a mum that still has to sing a Christmas as a bedtime song to her 12 year old autistic daughter. My own autistic teen needs to make sure her bedside table has everything in the right position before she goes to bed. We do what we have to do and we pick our battles. If 10 Easter eggs is the number, it’s the number. All you can do is get the best deal you can.

This. If it works then it’s nobody else’s business. Parenting strategies for ND kids are necessarily different.

ThisOldThang · 22/04/2025 13:31

I went into Sainsbury's yesterday and the eggs were on pallets in the corner of the shop. The prices weren't reduced on the labels, but the self scanner showed that they were less than half price.

Could you wait until Easter Monday and then buy nine of the £1.50 eggs for 75p?

JengaTower124 · 22/04/2025 13:29

10 isn't even wildly out of average for most kids with grandparents and aunts anyway.

Both my kids had the below

Son had
6 eggs (all different sizes)
2 boxes of lindors
1 box of sweets
2 cups of fizzy sweets
3 x packs of squishies
1 x mystery fidget bag
£10

daughter had
8 eggs (different sizes)
1kg bag mini eggs
Large mini eggs bar
Aero milky bar
1 Bag of easter brownies
£10

I don't consider the above a lot at all, They have 2 sets of grandparents, 3 sets of aunties that all buy for them.
They wont be eating it all in one go, it will last a while.

BryantVibes · 22/04/2025 13:28

PS I have ND children, you start the process early possibly months before explaining why there will be less presents at Xmas/Easter etc. Just cos a child is ND doesn’t mean they cannot be explained to.

TryingToBeHelpful267 · 22/04/2025 13:27

It is a lot but then I can’t talk, each of mine had 5 eggs this year (except for the baby) and there is still mountains of Easter chocolate and it was ridiculously expensive.

We were going to take them to a hunt but weather was supposed to be bad so ended up last minute trying to buy enough eggs so it’d be fair and they could have some sort of hunt… 15 eggs in total 🤦🏻‍♀️

I am also guilty of counting Xmas gifts, to make sure it’s fair 😬

So no YANBU 🤣

BryantVibes · 22/04/2025 13:27

Alongside balloon arches that are a killer for the environment. Don’t fall for all the consumerism.

Snorlaxo · 22/04/2025 13:22

I suspect most get less than half of that. One from parents, one each from people they may see over Easter (grandparents, uncles, aunts etc ) and something differently shaped like a packet of mini eggs, Kit Kat bunnies, Creme eggs etc

I did read about your child having very definite ideas about what constitutes an Easter egg - it’s based on what I’ve seen and experienced.

JengaTower124 · 22/04/2025 13:21

Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 11:19

Thank you ☺️

I don’t think it’s too much - it works for me .

But the comments I’ve had I found odd as it was as though I was over the top . Then I look on Facebook and people have presents like it’s Christmas and I’m thinking - that’s way more than £26 ?!

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Exactly.

Do what works for you and your family! They are your kids and if 10 eggs makes them happy then 10 it is!

Its challenging enough having a child with autism so make sure you do whatever makes your life easier and your kids happy.

Snorlaxo · 22/04/2025 13:08

It is excessive in most households but you’ve got to do what you got to do to keep peace in your home and this seems to work for you. It sounds like cost isn’t an issue either so while I would internally raise an eyebrow, it’s not that serious. There’s probably something that I do which would make you raise an eyebrow too.

RedXTart · 22/04/2025 13:08

Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 12:58

Why is it ridiculous ? If I am fine with doing it , why is it ridiculous ?

In terms of promoting greediness , I think that is ridiculous . As I have said before I could get him one main present and then 9 items from the pound shop . He would be happy. He comes down on his birthday , Christmas and Easter very anxious. He then counts the items and visibly relaxes because in a time when everything is different and overwhelming he knows one thing stays the same and that’s the routine he can cling to. There is no surprise . As the years have gone on he has became more relaxed around these times because of it . He knows he can rely on that , each time it’s the same he knows that then his routine for the holiday has been done .

How this support for him to be able to regulate is classed as ridiculous is beyond me and I think it shows ignorance

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If you’re doing fine with it, why post?

You still didn’t have to offer him 10 chocolate eggs.! so I don’t really get why you’re posting or complaining about it…

However, I do appreciate that bringing up an autistic child must be incredibly difficult difficult at times. So excuse me if my post sounds irritated, I dislike the overdosing of chocolate eggs at children around Easter, and the general crap diet lots of parents give their kids, and that’s just where I’m at.

Anyway I’ve been drawn to ridiculous thread, typical Mumsnet nonsense. Now I must get on with my day! Have a nice day everyone

lilacflowerpetal · 22/04/2025 13:08

Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 11:04

It’s the number - but they have to be ‘Easter eggs ‘ . So a Cadbury egg or something like that ( there has to be more Cadbury than other brands ) - that’s just what he sees as an Easter egg . It’s more a case of having them than eating them. There is always one “big “ which simply means bigger than the rest ( so one medium and 9 small would be fine ) .

I did have a go at smaller ones before and it didn’t go down too well . The way he sees it - small chocolate eggs can be bought at any time of the year - like crème eggs - but Easter eggs can’t so if it can be bought any other time of year it’s not an Easter egg

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You can get smarties, milky bar and Kit Kat egg hunt packs which are the size of Cadbury creme eggs but can’t be bought at other times of year. The smarties ones are hollow but filled with mini smarties, so very much Easter egg like.

And to answer your question further down, yes I think that 10 boxed eggs, even the small ones, is massively over the top.

I’d get some Easter crafts from The Works or similar to make up numbers, they have some very cheap activities.

Original poster
Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 13:07

Bbq1 · 22/04/2025 13:04

@Pinkbleach
You probably should have set the limit at 5 of everything back in the day! It seems wasteful on the surface, but I understand your son needs this to remain regulated. It's good you are doing that for him. How did you arrive at the number 10? Do the other kids in your family need 10 each too especially if they are eating the eggs that your son was gifted? How old are they and do they understand that your son has Autism hence him requiring the 10 eggs?

I maybe should have . I came to 10 because I do tend to go all out at Christmas and birthdays , I didn’t want to say too little and then overwhelm him but didn’t want to say too much and then feel like I have to meet that - especially as he’s older and the things he likes are more expensive.

The others don’t require it , but I have done it so as not to make them feel they’re getting less . But there older now , so understand. I don’t think my youngest will have 10 next year .

OP posts:
Extiainoiapeial · 22/04/2025 13:05

I don't know why you are asking anyone? You obviously are going to carry on doing what you do because it suits your son. If so, what does anyone's opinion matter? It's just beating yourself up asking for opinions for the sake of it.
Like you want people to tell you it's extravagent. Yes, I think it is, (my DCs got one easter egg from us!) but I'm not you, and your son isn't mine, so my opinion is completely irrelevant.

Original poster
Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 13:04

User5274959 · 22/04/2025 13:01

I suppose I mean that on the surface of it you're asking a question to gather opinions and views. But then have particular circumstances and reasons which lead you to do things the way you do them, so other people's views are irrelevantz

I did explain about his autism in the post and the IRL comments are from people that know the reasons . So I was just wondering if people really thought the same

OP posts:
Bbq1 · 22/04/2025 13:04

@Pinkbleach
You probably should have set the limit at 5 of everything back in the day! It seems wasteful on the surface, but I understand your son needs this to remain regulated. It's good you are doing that for him. How did you arrive at the number 10? Do the other kids in your family need 10 each too especially if they are eating the eggs that your son was gifted? How old are they and do they understand that your son has Autism hence him requiring the 10 eggs?

Original poster
Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 13:02

Emanresuunknown · 22/04/2025 12:56

You don't actually know because you haven't tried it

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No , because I won’t risk him being distressed and having a meltdown and exhausting himself for a test . For the sake of a few pound .

OP posts:
Lyannaa · 22/04/2025 13:02

Since it is a routine then I think it’s fine in your case. If it helps your sons anxiety then it’s a strategy that works for you.

TheDevilFindsWorkForIdleMums · 22/04/2025 13:02

You do you. I don't really care but I suppose if you wanted to reduce the amount of chocolate or cost you could just get one of those Easter egg hunt kits so they still have 10 eggs. Just smaller ones.

10 eggs in itself isn't that unusual, a lot of kids will get eggs from Grandparents and other family members and end up with similar.

User5274959 · 22/04/2025 13:01

I suppose I mean that on the surface of it you're asking a question to gather opinions and views. But then have particular circumstances and reasons which lead you to do things the way you do them, so other people's views are irrelevantz

Lyannaa · 22/04/2025 13:00

I’m not sure how 10 eggs get eaten? If they do then fair enough. But yeah that would be way over the top in my house. My kids had one each. One of the adult children didn’t want one at all. And the ones who were given one haven’t eaten them yet.

Original poster
Pinkbleach · 22/04/2025 12:59

User5274959 · 22/04/2025 12:58

Why are you telling us about it though?

Yes I think it's too much, but as you've said; there are reasons why you do it. So don't see the point in you posting.

Why does anyone post about things then ?

That’s the point of the site , to post things and have a little rant.

OP posts: