WWYD with the Easter Bunny

[brux]

WWYD?

DS, newly age 11 and in 5th grade, is still all in on Santa and Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy.  He's a smart kid, and I'm certain he's at least questioning the reality of such things, but we've fostered an environment of don't ask, don't tell with respect to these creatures in our house.  As parents, we're all in on the magic and so is he as a kid.

So here's my question.

This year, we'll be traveling home from a trip on Easter.  I'm trying to figure out how to do the Easter Bunny and I've come up with two options.  The first that basically tells him it's all a lie but wink wink it will continue, and the second that continues the ruse.

Option 1: Bring the Easter basket on the trip (which is NBD logistically), and set it out in the hotel room on Easter morning.  I figure this is basically admitting that Bunny is us and we are Bunny.

Option 2: Set out the Easter Basket at home so it's waiting there when we get home in the evening.  I think he'd comment on the lack of Easter basket that morning but would rationalize it to likely be at home.

Part of me doesn't really want to reveal the truth to my kid this way (under Option 1) but also...he's 11...and heading to middle school...and life would be a little easier without some of the charade.  

So what would you do with a kid who may or may not still believes in the Easter Bunny and Santa, but who is an enthusiastic believer to you?

[sweptaway]

Does setting it up in the hotel have to mean the bunny isn't real? Can't the bunny find you wherever you are? (or is it logistically too hard to hide the basket from him in the room?)

[tinyjoys]

What about doing something, like a chocolate bunny, when he wakes up, and then the regular basket at home?

[sweptaway]

Anyway I'd prolong the charade- I just don't think that means you have to leave it at home (but also leaving it at home is easier anyway)

Can the bunny leave him a note in the hotel room? Something about it being too hard to travel with a giant basket so I left your basket at home.

[imapenguin]

I’d set up the Easter basket at the hotel and let the magic continue. Santa and the tooth fairy have both been able to find us in hotels so I don’t know why the Easter bunny would be any different. You could always have him leave a note at home about where to find you if you think that’s a dealbreaker for him.

[skategirl128]

We’ve traveled around Easter before. I’ve always left a note from the bunny that the basket is at home and then they get a small chocolate bunny on Easter morning wherever we are.

[daisy]

We are traveling this year over Easter. I feel like it would be so much easier if none of my kids believed in the Easter bunny, but I still have one and maybe two who do (I also have a fifth grader that is on the edge).

Anyway, we don’t get home till Tuesday after Easter. I told my kids the Easter Bunny would still come at home, as usual, and we would just have to find the baskets and things when we get back. It’s kind of awkward, but I didn’t want to be trying to hide things for four kids on the trip through multiple hotels until Easter.

It was the only workable option I could come up with. It’s still not perfect. We hide baskets and candy filled eggs, so I think I’m going to have everything pre-filled and ready to go, but my parents will have to come over while we are gone to hide everything. We get home super late at night, and the kids have to go to school the next day, so I suppose we’ll have a little belated Easter party after school that night.

[trueblue]

I would not want to deal with the logistics of doing a traveling Easter when belief is teetering anyway so I would set it up before you leave home and not give it a second thought.

My answer would be different for the toddler - early elementary age group.

[brux]

Mar 5, 2024 9:29:26 GMT -6 sweptaway said:

Does setting it up in the hotel have to mean the bunny isn't real? Can't the bunny find you wherever you are? (or is it logistically too hard to hide the basket from him in the room?)

He's a really logical kid, so I think he'd immediately know that mom and dad did it vs. the easter bunny.  But I doubt he'd say anything to us about his theory.  I think it would just quietly confirm the truth to him and it makes me a little sad to do it.

[sudokufan]

I only have the one 10yo boy, so we just out and out told him last summer. He started 5th grade, which here is middle school with 5-8 so we figured it was just a matter of time. It's made these logistics so much easier, and he's a kid who likes to pretend anyhow so he just rolled with it. He said when he started really thinking about the tooth fairy, it kind of gave up the game anyhow.

[brux]

Mar 5, 2024 9:40:25 GMT -6 sudokufan said:

I only have the one 10yo boy, so we just out and out told him last summer. He started 5th grade, which here is middle school with 5-8 so we figured it was just a matter of time. It's made these logistics so much easier, and he's a kid who likes to pretend anyhow so he just rolled with it. He said when he started really thinking about the tooth fairy, it kind of gave up the game anyhow.

H really wants DS to know the truth too, but I never had the convo with my parents either, so I don't know how to do it.  It does seem easier to reveal, but it makes me a little sad at the same time.

I kept waiting for him to say something to us, but he hasn't and now we're all just   at each other.

[byjove]

We are often out of town on Easter and it comes where we are. My 5th grader is all in. Just like Santa, he knows where you are! (a little creepy lol)

[jorkzy]

In my house, all the mythical creatures show up wherever my kids are. So I’d do the hotel room.

[bearfootzcontinued]

My oldest were around that same age when we went on spring break one year over Easter and upon special request our Easter Bunny brought their baskets early because they were filled with swim suits, swim goggles, road trip snacks, and summer outfits that they would want to use while on vacation. Saved the hassle of bringing the basket with and meant I could use items I needed to purchase anyhow in the basket.

My kids were believers for a long time and while I didn't want to ruin the magic, I didn't really try as hard as they got older. I thought I was making it a little easier for them to find out because I figured having them figure it out for themselves using logic would be better than having it ruined by another kid. That is until my daughter finally told me I needed to break the news to her brother because he needed to hear it from me since he didn't believe when other kids said Santa wasn't real. He was PISSED that I hadn't told him sooner and mortified that he'd been one of the last to know in his class. Somehow even after learning the truth about Santa and the Tooth Fairy he still thought the giant rabbit hid candy in the house.... yet somehow, he still makes it on the honor roll... just pointing that out that sometimes they don't pick up on the logic clues.

[jinkies]

I distinctly remember returning home from a trip on Easter to find our baskets all set up at our house. I knew my parents had been with me, so it felt extra magical that everything was set up at our house even when no one was there (my grandmother had done it while we were gone)

So my vote is to recruit a friend or family member to set things out while you are gone.

I like the idea of giving a chocolate bunny or something from you at the hotel on Easter morning.

[dontstopbelievin]

The Easter bunny followed my kids across the country last year, they were 6 and 9 at that time. They believed.

[AmyG]

Mini basket type thing in hotel.
If he says anything we'll maybe cause your suitcase is already full and tsa doesn't like people to go thru with huge easter baskets. Let's see if he left anything else when we get home
Has worked for birthday Easter lost tooth and Christmas if we were away from home on a holiday involving gifts and magical creatures and when we got home it all worked out with more stuff at home.

[sudokufan]

Mar 5, 2024 9:42:27 GMT -6 brux said:

Mar 5, 2024 9:40:25 GMT -6 sudokufan said:

I only have the one 10yo boy, so we just out and out told him last summer. He started 5th grade, which here is middle school with 5-8 so we figured it was just a matter of time. It's made these logistics so much easier, and he's a kid who likes to pretend anyhow so he just rolled with it. He said when he started really thinking about the tooth fairy, it kind of gave up the game anyhow.

H really wants DS to know the truth too, but I never had the convo with my parents either, so I don't know how to do it.  It does seem easier to reveal, but it makes me a little sad at the same time.

I kept waiting for him to say something to us, but he hasn't and now we're all just   at each other.

I felt the same way as you, so I let H lead the convo, and to be honest it went a lot better than I expected.  DS and I still talk about "when Santa comes" but now it's more wink wink when we do it and he feels like he's in on something.  Now that he knows that it's all dad and I, he's more invested in helping to make the magic, and it's pretty cute.  He insisted he be the one to pick out presents for the cats "From Santa", and picked special cards for my mom, and so on.  

And I no longer have to sneak into his room and swap teeth out for cash lol; now I treat him to an ice cream cone or a small toy or new book or something, because let's face it, losing teeth is kind of sucky.  H objected to that one, but I told him it's no different from me getting the good chocolate when I have cramps.

[SweetPotato]

We don’t do the Easter Bunny (no real reason other than by the time he was old enough to know/care we just weren’t in the habit) but we are almost always away from home for Christmas.

We set up the Santa stuff before we leave and he knows Santa comes while we are gone. It is easy and has worked well for us.

I am team drag out the magic!

[gallagher]

We have gone away for almost every Easter and the bunny finds us. That never caused any questions. But at 11, I'm assuming he knows and is playing along anyways so I don't think it really matters.

[FlightView]

Last year ExH told the kids (now 10 & 8) nothing was real.

I told them that the bunny/santa/leprechaun only come to the kids that believe.

[AmyG]

Mar 5, 2024 10:54:57 GMT -6 FlightView said:

Last year ExH told the kids (now 10 & 8) nothing was real.

I told them that the bunny/santa/leprechaun only come to the kids that believe.

Which is why dh doesn't get an Easter basket right?

[FlightView]

Mar 5, 2024 10:56:31 GMT -6 AmyG said:

Mar 5, 2024 10:54:57 GMT -6 FlightView said:

Last year ExH told the kids (now 10 & 8) nothing was real.

I told them that the bunny/santa/leprechaun only come to the kids that believe.

Which is why dh doesn't get an Easter basket right?

Well he definitely doesn’t get one from me 😂

[icedcoffee]

I would set it up at home before leaving if he won't see it. I wouldn't want to travel with it TBH and worry he'd see it somehow. And it would be cute for a kid that believes to see the bunny still came while you all were gone

[brux]

I wonder if setting it all up at home would make him believe more. And is that even a good thing, given his age?

I’m 100% overthinking this 🤣

[icedcoffee]

Mar 5, 2024 11:08:08 GMT -6 brux said:

I wonder if setting it all up at home would make him believe more. And is that even a good thing, given his age?

I’m 100% overthinking this 🤣

It might 🤣 but honestly that seems the easiest for you logistically

[Bookshelves]

Mar 5, 2024 11:08:08 GMT -6 brux said:

I wonder if setting it all up at home would make him believe more. And is that even a good thing, given his age?

I’m 100% overthinking this 🤣

I think I’d just ask him— “Hey, we’ll be gone on Easter. Do you think the Easter bunny will come to the hotel or leave something for you at home while we’re gone?” That way the reality will match his expectations.*

*please note that I am winging parenting 100% of the time

[coffeecake]

I think you’re overthinking it. We will also be traveling over Easter, but we’re on our way to spring break, not coming home. My 10 year old is on the edge and already asked about the Easter bunny. I said I was sure that he would find us at the hotel. My kids always set their empty baskets out to be filled the night before, so bringing the baskets is no big deal. I’m not sure how that started, but I think when they were little they assumed it was like stockings at Christmas? Anyway, I’m doing a small amount of stuff since we’re going to Disney and I’m just going to hide it in my suitcase.

[sweetpea]

So for Xmas, because we are in MN, Santa brings them some candy and maybe something teeny tiny. Everything else is waiting for them when they get back. If we think about it the kids leave a note for Santa telling him they are traveling. If not, they ask me to text Santa.

[jaygee]

As you know, I’m in the camp of “it’s real if you believe” and will prolong the charade my whole life if it makes me and DS happy. Maybe it’s an only kid thing - I just like the traditions and see no reason to end them (because for me they are a joy and not a chore so not judging anyone else).

I know my kid knows but he still enjoys it so I still do it.

I would set it up at home and if he mentions it at the hotel say something like “oh, I forgot to submit our travel plans to the holiday committee” and tell him that the day isn’t over yet and he should keep his eyes open.

Yes, I’m cheesy. Don’t care.