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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:
denverRegina · 04/04/2021 10:13

Oh it's Easter, you weren't clear. You basically gave them free reign and left them to it.

I said to mine, you can open one now for breakfast and the rest later on. So they did that.

PerspicaciousGreen · 04/04/2021 10:13

I'd be cross about the mess and make them tidy it up. I'd be cross about them not sticking to their bit, but probably blame myself for not being clear and have a talk with them about checking first. But mostly the mess!

Clymene · 04/04/2021 10:13

If all the other eggs aren't for your children, what are you planning on doing with them? If you wanted to give them away, surely you should have done so by now given it's Easter Sunday today?

I'm a bit confused, sorry!

Oilpyi · 04/04/2021 10:13

@Allllchange that’s my view, I expected being left with a generous pile to do with as they wished was enough.
Getting even more, which they’d seen coming home mainly with their dad as ‘wow, people are giving you a lot at work this year!’ Is different to me. Their dad and I do give them what we are given freely, but I don’t expect them to take it. I probably would have kept one back for me, and I don’t thing I’m spoilt in keeping just one!

OP posts:
Whatisthisfuckery · 04/04/2021 10:14

It’s a bit spoilt, yeah. I couldn’t be arsed to get too upset though. It’s been such a shit year I’d let the kids have at it, within reason.

I’d make them ration out the chocolate, no making themselves sick and they’d be expected to eat proper meals, and they would be clearing up all the mess.

Oilpyi · 04/04/2021 10:16

@Clymene tbh the second pile was unexpected and wasn’t a huge plan for it yet, we’ve been generously given loads at volunteering roles and work this year- normally 1 or 2 is the normal amount. On Thursday/ Friday there was a pile I didn’t expect and I haven’t got a plan for. I was busy Saturday and had just put it aside.

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 04/04/2021 10:16

I reckon they knew you were planning to give some away, so got in there first. They’re not daft 😃

SmidgenofaPigeon · 04/04/2021 10:16

We only ever got maybe one main egg then a few little ones, we never ‘did’ Easter bunny.

I’m always Shock at the amount of chocolate the children I nanny for get. If it was up to me I’d limit it because in the run up to Easter it’s all ‘how many eggs will I get, I hope I get that massive one I saw, I better get more than I got last year, why did I only get four Lindt bunnies, when can I eat my chocolate?’ On and on it goes and it’s sooo annoying.

So I’d be not that thrilled with the excess your children have enjoyed abd they’d be jolly well helping to tidy up without whinging. However, you made an error in not hiding the other eggs away, and just letting them be satisfied with the pile they did get. They KNEW there were more, and kids being kids, have gone to claim it.

SpringTimeDream · 04/04/2021 10:16

I've finally started to realise what a wasteful consumer indulgent society we live in.
I am now attempting to waste less, spend less on rubbish and give time instead.

The piles of presents at Christmas, the buying of stuff for Halloween, Easter, valentines, etc etc... the tat 'needed, at weddings...it suddenly feels so vulgar and wasteful.

It's done but I would learn not to allow next time. I now donate time, money and things I don't need or use

nimbuscloud · 04/04/2021 10:16

The Year 6 child at least should have known better. You are not a misery guts at all - I would be annoyed too.

Whatisthisfuckery · 04/04/2021 10:16

I would be pissed off if I hadn’t had chance to put aside at least one for myself though. I think I would be telling them I felt very sad that they’d selfishly taken them all.

CricketClub · 04/04/2021 10:17

Greedy and rude. They got over excited.
Tell them that the ones given to you and your DH weren’t theirs to open.

blobblob · 04/04/2021 10:17

I think many would say "It's Easter " and not worry. And I don't think you'll achieve much by being angry but I share your dismay. (And the general way waste and the need for things has escalated over the years).
Not the kid's fault. The eggs were there. it's Easter, you said the Easter Bunny's been (a concept we never used) so I wouldn't blame the kids.

Just deal with it as you have, enjoy your Sunday and carry on as you have been.

dementedpixie · 04/04/2021 10:18

You dont open all the boxes at once, that's not great behaviour.

Emmacb82 · 04/04/2021 10:18

I’m not really understanding why everyone is telling the op she is miserable and in the wrong? The other eggs were in a totally different room, and she had pointed out the eggs that they were to open. I would be cross if my children had gone into another room and destroyed all those eggs. Why does everyone keep saying it’s 2021, they’ve had a bad year like it excuses all bad behaviour?! In hindsight I would perhaps have said to them during the week that the other eggs were going to be donated so not to touch them but otherwise I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong op. But it’s done now.

Livpool · 04/04/2021 10:19

This wouldn't bother me. Children get overexcited at Easter

SmidgenofaPigeon · 04/04/2021 10:20

I would be talking to them about it though. It WAS greedy.

yeOldeTrout · 04/04/2021 10:22

It isn't clear to me that you set boundaries & rules that they knew to follow about how much or which chocolate they could have.

Did they help clear up the mess?

Anyway, whatever you did -- you didn't like the results. Take steps to make sure it can't happen next time; make the behaviour you want from the kids the easiest choice for your children.

OnlyToWin · 04/04/2021 10:22

It would bother me.
I don’t think they should have taken your eggs when they had their own.
I would just explain this to them. It sounds more like they misunderstood and got carried away then doing anything deliberately.

MalibuandOrange · 04/04/2021 10:22

YABU. Your own fault for leaving young kids with loads of Easter eggs.. what did you think was going to happen? Kids need supervising!

OnlyToWin · 04/04/2021 10:23

Also, it’s quite nice that they were sharing it out!! They obviously know how to share but just did not realise they should not be sharing your chocolate!

Oilpyi · 04/04/2021 10:23

@Emmacb82 I guess that sums it up for me, I always could have parented better. Every action I do could be better, especially with hindsight. Yes I could have also laid down a load of rules like ‘don’t open the work ones‘, ‘open one each’ etc. I just expected better. I expected them to follow the usual patterns. I expected them to think a bit.

I guess I just feel a bit let down in how they acted and generally frustrated. I’m really tired at the moment that they need constantly telling to do everything from picking up wrappers they’d used to doing work. This feels like part of that and it’s doing my head in!

OP posts:
Magnificentmug12 · 04/04/2021 10:24

Maybe instead of just saying the Easter bunny has been and pointed to a bundle of chocolate on the side they thought you was being a bit more fun and also hid some in another room for them to find....surprise!

Kids normally do “hunt” for their Easter eggs as that’s the norm so I’m not surprised they went looking. I would have been disappointed to find a bundle that’s been pointed too and no hunt as that is the fun part of Easter.

ColourfulElmerElephant · 04/04/2021 10:25

I’d take it as a lesson not to tell them that they have a massive amount of chocolate to enjoy and then leave them unsupervised.

Oilpyi · 04/04/2021 10:26

Those who say ‘kids need supervising’, do you honestly never leave a year 6 child to have a shower? How do you manage? Do you sit them in sight if you cook? Take them in the garden in you hang the washing out? They are all ks1 and ks2 children, not toddlers.

OP posts: