Beware of Bunnies Bearing Gifts!
Oh sure, he’s big and soft and fluffy and he has those adorable floppy ears, but don’t be fooled! The Easter Bunny is as harmless to your children’s teeth as a large wooden horse once was to the people of Troy. Because it’s not what he is that’s the problem – it what he brings!
But remember – as parents, you’re in control of what the Easter Bunny delivers to your children. Every year is another chance for you to create new, healthier, Easter traditions, and we’ve got a few ideas to help you:
- Banish the big egg or bunny. Many Easter Egg hunts lead to a final ‘trophy’ of a large chocolate egg or rabbit. Instead, replace the chocolate with a soft toy or, for older children, a decorative tin to keep their treasures in.
- If you put together an Easter basket for your little ones, replace some of the sweets with little toys. Things like bubbles or bouncy balls might help encourage them to get outside and enjoy the improving weather.
- Put the focus on real eggs rather than the chocolate variety. Hard boil some eggs (white work best if you can find them) and get the kids involved in decorating. If kept refrigerated, they’ll be safe to eat and can be enjoyed plain, in sandwiches or devilled.
- You might not get away with removing chocolate from your Easter celebrations completely, but you can control the amount and the quality of the chocolate your children eat. Fewer but better is the rule – instead of loading up on cheap mass-produced chocolate, spend your budget on a smaller amount of good quality treats. More artisanal chocolate tends to have less sugar and more flavour, meaning your kids will be happier with less!
- For a truly special Easter treat, why not hide an ostrich egg? These, the largest of all eggs, can be blown out (to preserve the shell) and scrambled – and contain the equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs, so invite the neighbours round! Once empty, the shell can be decorated and kept indefinitely. Definitely more fun and memorable than chocolate!
