I wrote this post right after Easter, but didn't think of posting it until I saw a photo on MSNBC of a man in a rabbit suit passing someone dressed as Jesus with a large cross on his shoulders. The two images in the photo immediately confirmed my feelings of confusion as to how I want to teach my son about such an important holiday.
When each holiday arrives with a toddler aged kid I have to take pause and think about what I want to tell him about it, what traditions to carry forth or reinvent. I didn't really give tons of thought the first time around cos he was a baby and didn't talk, so in my mind he didn't know what was going on anyway; nor would he remember.
During these times of pause I immediately draw upon my source of experience: my own childhood. Peeps are out, hollow bunny is a must, what's a toy I wanted to pick up for him at Target this week anyway. That pretty much wraps it up. Oh, I guess I am supposed to stop and explain all of this to him, get him amped for my lies.
The Hallmark traditions of each of these holidays throw me for a loop. I spend each and every day trying to explain things to my son in a way he will understand. Little details in his world that are important. We always hold hands crossing the street because cars cannot see your tiny body and could cause major ouchies! Some less important details. Yes, it's a spider, but next time you see one please don't poke it- run fast and get Mommy cos sometimes they bite.
I teach him about social behaviors that will allow him to, hopefully, function well in society.
I just really struggle opening my mouth, looking him in the eye, and blatently telling him a lie about fictional characters that leave him random things. I keep asking myself why I do this and all I can come up with is that I don't want him to be the only kid in his class growing up, that weird kid, who is the only one not in on the story. To not be part of the make-believe experience could be like removing him from the fairy tale and robbing him of a childhood experience that, in my opinion, holds zero value.
Beyond the lack of reasoning behind this tradition, I imagine it will be complicated enough to teach him about The Savior and the importance of his birth and essentially His death and resurrection. A jolly man in red and a fluffy bunny blur the importance of two highly relevant days for adults and children alike, so why do we do it?
