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AIBU?

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:
AliceAliceWhoTheFook · 05/04/2021 21:00

I wouldn't have liked it either OP. It's rather self-indulgent and selfish. However, it's been a tough old year for everyone.

I'd have a word and explain your feelings. Then let them make them self sick with chocolate.

And then next year, make more rules/monitor the situation more.

It's not the end of the world.

DarkMatterA2Z · 05/04/2021 21:04

OP this really breaks my heart

Personally I've found this thread really funny Grin. Sort of like the discovery channel, only with human children and Easter eggs rather than lion cubs and a dead antelope. And imagining the OP's face as she stumbled upon the massacre after her peaceful shower! Sorry OP...Blush.

daisypond · 05/04/2021 21:09

@Crystal90567

The easter bunny leaves chocolate all over the place. They were probably delighted that there was more in the other room too. Before you turned up that was! Poor kids
No. The Easter Bunny isn’t a thing. I’ve never heard of the “Easter Bunny leaving chocolate all over the place.” It’s not Christmas and Father Christmas.
DonnaDonna01 · 05/04/2021 21:09

“oh my gosh” and “this breaks my heart.” It was a few Easter Eggs that 6-11 year olds opened and then went and took more from another room without permission, the OP was a little upset. No one was wounded or traumatised, how do you manage in the real world with the terrible things that happen if this is your reaction?

daisypond · 05/04/2021 21:13

@DonnaDonna01

“oh my gosh” and “this breaks my heart.” It was a few Easter Eggs that 6-11 year olds opened and then went and took more from another room without permission, the OP was a little upset. No one was wounded or traumatised, how do you manage in the real world with the terrible things that happen if this is your reaction?
Teaching your children how to behave is the real world. Perhaps there might be fewer terrible things happening in the world if more people taught their DC how to behave in the first place.
DarkMatterA2Z · 05/04/2021 21:14

@daisypond. I beg to differ. The Easter Bunny is most definitely a thing. He's huge and has an absolutely ginormous basket of chocolate eggs and my DC and I saw his fluffy tail as he hopped over our fence after he had left our Easter eggs in the garden for us to find.

DonnaDonna01 · 05/04/2021 21:20

@daisypond you’ve misunderstood me here, if you read my previous post I think it’s about boundaries, I agree with you. My comment was to the poster who felt sorry for the children being treated like they were by the op. In my opinion the op was right to be upset and the 11year is pushing boundaries.

Oilpyi · 05/04/2021 21:27

@DarkMatterA2Z don’t apologise. I’ve laughed now and I’m still popping occasionally to read the bizarre answers of some! Like the one who things the kids were slinging personal insults at me and swearing... not the posters on here.

OP posts:
Oilpyi · 05/04/2021 21:27

@EarringsandLipstick thank you for kind comments, you made me smile

OP posts:
Oilpyi · 05/04/2021 21:29

@DarkMatterA2Z actually the Easter bunny is terrifying. Kids saw him and saw so. Over 6 ft tall, ‘a mouth inside his mouth and a beard where his gums should be’. So says the 6 yr old.

OP posts:
Roxy69 · 05/04/2021 21:44

Binning the eggs! Who in God's name would do that?

DoWhatYouWantTo · 05/04/2021 22:04

[quote Oilpyi]@suniscoming they had a big pile on a chair expressly pointed out and surprised with. Told the bunny has been, pointed out and told to enjoy.
They other lot was in another room piled up and they’d seen it come home from work etc in drive and stand over the last week. They went and got it while I showered.[/quote]
YANBU
They should not have taken the ones from the other room. That is disrespectful.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/04/2021 22:06

[quote Oilpyi]@DarkMatterA2Z don’t apologise. I’ve laughed now and I’m still popping occasionally to read the bizarre answers of some! Like the one who things the kids were slinging personal insults at me and swearing... not the posters on here.[/quote]
That was me. Tbf your post was "...we've sorted it, got some plans for next week, great, tbh I'd thought it would be swearing etc by now"

That doesn't read like you meant MN but I'm glad I obviously misunderstood

DianaT1969 · 05/04/2021 22:10

OP, your instructions and intentions were in no way clear! i don't see what the difference is to carpet between the kids being encouraged to rip into a pile on a chair or a pile from the other room. It's still chocolate. Why didn't you give them one each in the kitchen and say it it here? You should have put the others out of sight for later in the week.
If you rant at your children for this they will remember it as very unjust.

scubadive · 05/04/2021 23:19

A bit grabby but why were you not with them to enjoy the occasion. Saying the Easter bunny has been to yrs 1-6 and then going for a shower!! Why!! Why would you not want to share in their moment. This is more strange then you expecting primary school children to show restraint.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 05/04/2021 23:40

Next time donate any extra eggs you are given to the food bank before Easter and kids don’t get mixed up.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2021 02:54

[quote Oilpyi]@EarringsandLipstick thank you for kind comments, you made me smile[/quote]
🥰

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2021 02:55

[quote Oilpyi]@DarkMatterA2Z actually the Easter bunny is terrifying. Kids saw him and saw so. Over 6 ft tall, ‘a mouth inside his mouth and a beard where his gums should be’. So says the 6 yr old.[/quote]
Wow! That is pretty terrifying 😂

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2021 02:57

@scubadive

A bit grabby but why were you not with them to enjoy the occasion. Saying the Easter bunny has been to yrs 1-6 and then going for a shower!! Why!! Why would you not want to share in their moment. This is more strange then you expecting primary school children to show restraint.
Jeez, this Easter bunny thing is obviously much more of a phenomenon in some parts of the world.

There's no such fuss here. There are eggs. Kids eat them. No bug sharing of joy tho I do my best to share in their chocolate.

It's not Santa at Christmas 🤷🏻‍♀️

theyallfelldown · 06/04/2021 03:32

I think if the Easter Bunny had been, any chocolate was fair game, unless explicitly identified as reserved for other people.

I understand why you feel disappointed in their actions, but it's a lesson on clarity for next time.

At least they were sharing the unreasonably large haul of chocolate eggs and weren't fighting over them! Small mercies.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2021 03:41

I think if the Easter Bunny had been, any chocolate was fair game, unless explicitly identified as reserved for other people.

It was! Separate room, not for them, they knew it. (OP made it clear in her posts).

Blueink · 06/04/2021 04:01

From your updates I would be upset and disappointed in how the 11 year old led this while your back was turned and not proud of the ‘leadership’ of the younger ones at all. Also keeping a close eye and having less trust. Yes the wastefulness and mess is annoying in the moment but the type of negative influence over the other children and initial lack of remorse is more worrying and could play out in other ways if not nipped in the bud.

MixedUpFiles · 06/04/2021 04:31

The kids probably had a wonderful time digging into a huge pile of eggs. leftover chocolate can simply be put into a storage container for future treats.

theyallfelldown · 06/04/2021 04:38

@EarringsandLipstick

I think if the Easter Bunny had been, any chocolate was fair game, unless explicitly identified as reserved for other people.

It was! Separate room, not for them, they knew it. (OP made it clear in her posts).

Did I miss something? I read that they were in a separate room, but not that they'd been explicitly told that those eggs were Not For Them.

Given Easter eggs and the Easter bunny are associated with egg hunts, I'd expect any off-limit eggs to be more clearly identified as such.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2021 04:43

The other eggs I’ve said they’ve seen coming from work and being plonked on the side, and we’ve spoken about how much dads been given. It’s not a ‘surprise’ to see them in the same place as they’ve been appeared all week.

Also you may do a hunt, I never have. Lots of people ever have. They were not expecting a hunt this year when they’ve never done one

From OP's earlier posts.