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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Easter eggs- how would you react

456 replies

Oilpyi · 04/04/2021 10:02

Asking for perspective, neither DH or I grew up with Easter Eggs or much in the way of things- it already seems indulgent, but I’m aware our perspective isn’t always the norm with the world the kids grow up in. That’s why I’m asking...

We’ve had a crazy amount of eggs this year. DH as a key worker was gifted a very generous pile. I got some through volunteering, kids got some from family and from clubs. I was planning to give some away as it seemed so many. They’d weren’t little or cheap either, ones with Lindt bunnies in, London, fancy M&S stuff etc plus some smaller ones with mugs. Not little eggs.

The ones from work etc were in a stack on a sideboard, along with some boxes of chocolate where they’d been for days. A box or two was open and we’d been sharing them already. Neither of us eat much chocolate ourselves and we generally have no issue with the kids slowly eating their way through it, which is what we normally do with gifted chocolate. Open one at a time/ one each at a time and let them eat.

This morning I had left the eggs from family on an armchair and said ‘Easter bunny’s been’ and left the kids while I showered. Fine them opening and eating.

When I came down they’d collected all the eggs and chocolate boxes from both rooms and had opened the lot, a huge pile of ripped boxes obviously frantically opened. They’d then made a pile each of eggs and chocolate sharing it out. Rubbish from boxes everywhere and they’d opened chocolate each and already the carpet was covered in chocolate bits (whilst I’m not Usually precious it was an instant Hoover need or they’d be chocolate stains over a wide area). The floor was a sea of boxes.

It just looked so wasteful they’d rip in like that, so presumptuous we’d not want any given to us (we normally eat a little of what we get ourselves, but not much) and just so expectant they could do it without even asking. I felt sick walking in and seeing such an expensive pile of chocolate just all opened and piled up carelessly- it was more that than either adult wanting any. It seemed so spoilt. No concept of any value or appreciation of it.

The kids are a range of primary ages from the oldest to the youngest spanning yr 1-6. I’m generally a bit irritated anyway with the older ones being messy and lazy and everything being a fight.

So- how would you react?
Say it’s Easter- enjoy and have fun
Or yes, that’s overly wasteful and spoilt behaviour.

OP posts:
Alcemeg · 04/04/2021 19:42

@Oilpyi glad it all worked out. I must say it all sounds very civilised. Harmony restored! Hurraaaaah! Happy Easter! Easter Smile

AbsolutelyPansy · 04/04/2021 19:56

i think that is shockingly bad behaviour.

Getoutofbed25 · 04/04/2021 21:13

I only put out the eggs that armrest theirs and they know to ask before opening any, pretty relaxed with chocolate and sweets but they know to ask to make sure there is no meal due!

Familyshopper · 05/04/2021 17:40

They are kids !!!

daisypond · 05/04/2021 17:41

@Familyshopper

They are kids !!!
Your point being?
Toomuchtrouble4me · 05/04/2021 17:48

You’re fault entirely, you didn’t make it clear that some were to be saved and they were having fun ripping open what they thought had been given to them.

pollymere · 05/04/2021 17:48

It's poor behaviour that they took things that weren't theirs. You put the ones to share on a chair. If they'd snarfled those I'd think nothing of it, but what made them think they could eat the others? Even a child in Y1 would have known not to eat them. Unless you said they were for them too?

caringcarer · 05/04/2021 17:49

When my kids were small. One year they were given 27 Easter eggs between 2 children. I melted some down and made chocolate Krispie cakes. The test hot fashioned out some each day for ages. The next year I banned my sisters from buying them eggs. Far too many for children.

Bekstar · 05/04/2021 17:49

I'm sorry but what kids between 1-6 would understand that it's wasteful like that unless you specifically told them how you wanted them to share the eggs and the fact that you've allowed them unrestricted access says you have poorly managed it. If you didn't want this to happen you should have sorted them out prior to Easter and made it clear what the rules where. Then and only then would you have cause to complain. Kids aren't mind readers. My son is 8 and he gets a handful of Easter eggs, I place them on the sofa the night before like I do with Christmas gifts. When he comes in he does like to check out any free gifts, mugs, toys etc. But I also.make it clear that if he opens chocolate from on he should finish that first or wrap it up so it doesn't melt or go funny. He takes his time with chocolate and with 6-7 eggs some of them small it will last him into the summer. He puts them away in his snack cupboard himself once he's had a look. Then barring Easter Sunday when he gets them which we are quite happy he snacks on and off. So long as they are wrapped up afterward. From that day on he only gets a limited amount at snack time when he asks.

aSofaNearYou · 05/04/2021 17:50

@Toomuchtrouble4me

You’re fault entirely, you didn’t make it clear that some were to be saved and they were having fun ripping open what they thought had been given to them.
This is such a weird view of actively going into a seperate room to get a whole load of others, when you already have a pile. It wasn't an accident.
Insanelysilver · 05/04/2021 17:50

I’ve always had a open one at a time rule. Sometimes putting some away for a few days. Maybe you could tell them do that next time.
Kids do get a bit crazy when confronted with boxes of Easter chocolate!

Nettie1964 · 05/04/2021 18:03

Dont leave them alone again with chocolate! Should have made them clean up then move on.I am in my 50s as children we used to get an obscene amount of eggs (big family) we used to play 21s with the sweets inside until my Catholic gm found out and called us sinners! It's Easter have fun its ok X xxx ps I would have been cross too about the mess and general thoughtlessness but hey no.

EveWasReframed · 05/04/2021 18:04

I'm sorry but what kids between 1-6 would understand

They're not. They're 6-11.

Bul21ia · 05/04/2021 18:07

@ThePricklySheep

You should have moved the ones they weren’t to have.
This.
Thatwentbadly · 05/04/2021 18:10

Year 1 so aged 5/6 years old. You are being very unreasonable to say chocolate is here and give no boundaries for eating the chocolate and then complain about the way they have eaten them.

MRSGGG · 05/04/2021 18:11

@Oilpyi what did you do last year?

SleepingStandingUp · 05/04/2021 18:17

@Toomuchtrouble4me

You’re fault entirely, you didn’t make it clear that some were to be saved and they were having fun ripping open what they thought had been given to them.
Op has repeatedly said they were directed towards a new pile as theres. They then went into another room and took eggs they had been told were Dad's.
Augustmummy · 05/04/2021 18:17

Not sure people completely read that many of the eggs were in a separate room and so the kids actively and strategically had to seek them out. I don't think the kids should have just assumed the ones mum had not given to them and had put away were to eat all in one go.

I think OP maybe you could have had a word with them there and then and told them not to be such pigs lol. No matter what age or how excited they are, they know which ones you offered them to eat and which ones where in a completely different room not intended for them to eat yet. Such a shame to mess them all up in one sitting and you hadn't stepped out of the shower yet lol.

Christinayangtwistedsister · 05/04/2021 18:18

Oh well, lesson learned. Put your feet up now and have some chocolate

MRSGGG · 05/04/2021 18:18

I wouldn't have given ones not for them to be honest. Most children above y3 have a good grasp of whats right and wrong but will still push the boundaries if there is a vague opening! I've been looking at then boxes that my two got. I think they got about 5/6 each the boxes take up so much space that after a day I'll empty them all into separate bags so I can see their logic there..

Anne1958 · 05/04/2021 18:20

They must have thought it was like Christmas where kids just dive into presents and don’t take a breath between opening one then another.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/04/2021 18:28

I had a feeling we’d have reached personal insults and swearing at me by now!
Is this how things normally escalate with your primary aged children @Oilpyi? I think that's a bigger issue than the eggs.

I'd have been angry they'd taken eggs that weren't there's and had purposely gone into another room to get, so not just carried away with their pile but io think it's odd to direct 4 primary aged kids to a pile of eggs and then walk off. Not because they always need supervising etc, but because presumably some were given for certain children, some were off people so I'd have stayed or DH would to have said right that's off Grandma, I think the Princess one is Delilah's, put it back Toby etc. Where was DH?

Ddot · 05/04/2021 18:28

Just take the extra ones off them and put away. U were greedy so you dont get

nocoolnamesleft · 05/04/2021 18:29

It isn't great, given the mess, but I do think your message was unclear. When you said the Easter bunny had been you meant only and specifically the one pile of eggs. But you did not state that. I think quite a lot of kids would have interpreted that as "Yippee! Now I can have free range of the Easter Eggs!"

stablefeet · 05/04/2021 18:35

I think that half the people replying on this didn't even take the trouble to properly read the original post.

Children old enough to know better were given a pile of Easter eggs and left to get on with it. Instead of opening the eggs they'd been given they decided to go into another room and help themselves to a load more as well. Presents given to their Dad included. They opened the lot and made a massive mess.
I don't know if children of mine would then have been allowed to keep all of that unwrapped chocolate. I'm surprised that so many think that would be OK. That's rewarding really awful behaviour.