To request family members don’t buy dc chocolates for Easter.

[C231009]

I know Easter is still a few weeks away yet but most years dc get eggs off my parents, the in laws, my grandma, uncles, aunts amongst others. So it means a lot of Easter eggs. My two are the only children in the family. Also DS gets eggs given from his dads side of the family. I am grateful everyone is so kind but it means that dc often have a lot of eggs!

DS is autistic and if given the chance he will eat and eat. He struggles to recognise when he’s full. He is 10 and weighs 6.5 stoneish. His weight has slowly crept up. He’s not overly tall and he’s gained a bit of a belly. DD has gained a bit of a belly too. We are monitoring what they eat, cutting portions and encouraging more exercise. So they aren’t really realising the changes we have made.

Anyway, aibu to request no eggs? We really don’t expect anything at all but if they wanted to give something maybe a pound or two, a magazine, some pens, a cheap dvd might be some ideas. Don’t want anyone to spend much.

We just end up with a shit load of eggs every year and DS has eyes bigger than his belly.

I know it’s only once a year...

Aibu? How would it come across if someone messaged you requesting no chocolate.

Or maybe I’ll ask everyone to buy a small kinder egg each for them instead rather than a big egg which will dramatically decrease calories! DS would love a bunch of kinder eggs!!

I feel your pain. No sooner have the stack of selection boxes gone but in comes the Easter eggs. I do think they deserve treats and appreciate people buying them but parents have to draw the line for sake of childrens health.
I buy mine small presents instead of eggs as they get eggs from other family.

As PP said, it depends on the relationship you have with the people who may be giving them, but for the ones you're close to, I don't think there'd be a problem with asking that if they intend to give the children anything, they limit it to the smaller eggs or preferably non-edibles. I'd explain why, to the ones you trust to have the sense to not mention it to the children-- i.e. that you are trying to encourage healthier habits and don't want them to eat too much chocolate all at one time.

Anyway, a non-edible gift is more fun than chocolate, so long as they're getting a little from someone. The kids would probably genuinely get more enjoyment from a small token gift than from yet another chocolate egg.

I would still buy them an egg, it's Easter and you are the parent!
Ask people to buy them 1 egg each or something else.
What if you made the rules the same for both of them, even if you know your daughter will save hers. For example, the eggs are locked away and they can only have a small amount each day after tea or something? Do you think that would work? I have an autistic child so I can see where you're coming from.
If it affects his behaviour so much then I would ask them not to, as someone else said, you're the one who has to live with him and deal with the behaviour when he is told no more.

YANBU. I would tell everyone not to buy eggs and give the dc one each from you. Any others that are still bought despite people being told would go in the food bank at the local supermarket, without the dc knowing.

Maybe pick out a few more sympathetic family members and ask them if they'd mind keeping it small this year as DC were a bit overwhelmed last year. You might find fewer people buy for them anyway if you are not able to meet up.

Personally we let them go a bit mad at Easter. I can't abide eggs hanging round til June, quietly going stale. The more they eat Easter weekend, the quicker it's over and done with. I don't bother baking with it either, it's just adding calories to calories and it still feels like you're taking away their chocolate. We didn't get many presents growing up but we did get lots of Easter eggs and we always appreciated them.

I hope your granddaughters love them as much as I did! It always felt very special to me as a little one. Although when I was a teenager my Mum said she thought I was too old for an Easter egg - she was going to ask if I’d like something else instead but I looked so stricken with a stiff upper lip she bought me this ridiculously oversized egg instead and gave me a big cuddle!

I would just accept them and put most of them away .
It's really difficult to stop the influx of Easter Eggs , there will always be a well-wisher who will buy a couple for your children.
Unless you tell absolutely everyone then I think you'll just have to accept them and put them away.

I think worth asking now, don't leave it to the week before Easter. Reasonable given the concerns you have and I hope others would understand. Perhaps ask for a charity donation instead.

All those saying "just tell them they're only allowed one every week, works for us!" are completely missing the point. OP has already explained it's not going to work for her DC due to his SEND. OP, I always buy an Easter egg for the kids in my family but if you were my friend or relative and explained the issue I would completely understand and would enjoy choosing the DC a lovely Easter craft kit or book or something instead. I would much rather be told as I would hate to think I was giving a child anything that was making their parents life more difficult.

I think you’re the first poster I’ve come across who has the same issue as I have with DS (except he’s 11). We have in the past padlocked his treats in a tool box! We don’t buy any chocolate eggs, I get one of those hatch your own dinos or something egg shaped. It’s still (in your case) two eggs less. I’ve more or less given up - Easter is more important to MIL than Christmas and she goes mad. Now I just accept that we don’t buy desserts for a good couple of months. DC2 also eats more sensibly than he does so he doesn’t get “extra” desserts until she’s finished her Easter stash too and I just remind him he’s had the same amount but chose to eat it faster. I also remind him when he takes it that he will make himself sick/ once it’s gone, it’s gone. And resign myself to tantrums and the constant refrain of “there’s fruit”.