Easter Egg hunt & only child

[harveythehorse]

Every year we host an Easter Egg hunt in the garden . . . and most years it's been DD (who is now 11) on her own, with us and a few of her Uncles and Aunts (none of whom have children over the age of 4 months) scooting around after her and cooing. It's been very sweet but I'm aware it's really bloody sad that she doesn't have cousins and siblings to chase around the lawns with to find chocolate. I was unable to have any more children and I don't know whether it's that, or a very real sense that she's missing out on key moments that makes me think I am being a really shit mum?? By happenchance, we've had friends on Easter Sunday before and she's had a wild time. . . . but it isn't possible to make that happen each year. I've just failed really, haven't I?

Tell that to my 20 year old 😂.OP she won't know what other people are doing!

You haven’t failed! Why don’t you find a community egg hunt near you? That’s what we do!

Some lovely ideas here, thank you x

I’m an only child and I loved Easter egg hunts. It never would have occurred to me it was meant to be a group thing (it’s not really).

I have 2 dc and the Easter egg hunt is truly one of the most unpleasant things we do all year. Because all they do is fight. My older one is 12 and can be an absolute knob because all she wants to do is find all the eggs and it becomes this epic battle and race. And it’s just so stressful and miserable. Your set up sounds lovely and stress free. I’d love to ramble around cooing over her searching for eggs, instead I’m counting them because they each want to take them from the other and it’s over in 4 minutes and at least one of them is in tears (sometimes me too 😂).

Fuck that. I still do Easter eggs hunts for my adult colleagues. They fucking love it

I did egg hunts when they were small, not when they were older.

We do clues and DS has to bring the clue back to us each time to read it out. We make the clues harder each year and can branch outside of the actual house as well...last year we had something hidden in the neighbours car.

So then just stop doing it?

Why have you made an Easter egg hunt a spectator sport?! We have an only he goes out with us solves some clues, finds some eggs, job done. Last year the new cat was very involved bounding around (old one not a fan of children or humans approaching him outside) so this year we're going to put a few treats/toy mice out for him too.
I also think by 11 an Easter egg hunt really isn't a thing anymore. Do some Easter baking with her and give her some chocolate.

Failed? Absolutely not!

We are immigrants so no family around - we've had friends round for Easter if we are here (we love a holiday celebration) or if we are away we just have a mini something wherever we are on holiday.

We have been considering moving to some sort of scavenger hunt with clues as my daughter is 12, but she's still excited about it and our son is only 8 so he should get a few more years of chaos. But maybe something the adults can do too if she isn't keen on this setup anymore?