This weekend we went to an Easter thing where there were a couple different bunnies and he didn't mind waving at them from about 10 feet away and even took a picture with one while I was standing holding him, however totally freaked out when I wasn't looking and one came up behind him and touched him on the shoulder. So now he tells me that the Easter bunny is scary at completely random times and while he is excited about the idea of him bringing candy and presents, he says he doesn't want to sit on his lap.
We didn’t make him sit on his lap and didn’t force the issue. We just went about out way for the afternoon and whenever he would see one he would say hi to him from across the room. I told him that the Easter Bunny brings him candy and presents and hides eggs and he seemed pretty excited about that and has mentioned the candy a couple more times about how excited he is to get it.
Sunday night he has wicked night terrors (which aren’t unusual for him) and he was running a mild grade fever and was actually ‘seeing things’ in the room that weren’t there and it took a while to calm him down and we had to sleep on the couch for a while. He is usually a GREAT sleeper and sleeping in a sitting position is generally for when he has an ear infection (which I thought we had just gotten over) or teething (which we think he is getting his two year molars).
My question is- my husband doesn’t want me to take him to this Easter Bunny breakfast with my mom at her church this weekend because he thinks it will traumatize him. I think that as long as we don’t make him go and sit with him or talk to him and just let him eat breakfast and find eggs, the auditorium is big enough that he should be fine. My mom was really looking forward to this weekend and I don’t want to disappoint her, but my son’s and my sleep is more important…. So Easter Bunny or NO for this year?
I may be the weird one here - but why are you giving an overstuff rabbit the credit for bringing eggs, candy and toys when in reality it is you doing it??? Are you going to give the fat guy in the red suit the credit when you shell out $250 for a new Nintendo DS??? For the record I am not being terribly serious!!!
I would explain what happened to your mom and tell her you will go, but if there is any indication that he is scared or upset, that you will be leaving right then and there. Maybe you are there for 5 mins or maybe you enjoy the whole event.
If your son says he does not want to go, I would not take him. Why force it? You mom may be disappointed, but does she really want him there freaking out and upset? Of course not.
At that age, you never know, he can be upset about it today and fine this weekend if the bunny is not by him.
we just got a picture of my latest nephew sitting in the lap of a huge nightmarish terrifying easter bunny! it makes me giggle. human-sized bunnies with huge eyes and rigid smiles are just so inherently scary, i love that the malls are full of them.
i think that you should go, but be prepared to leave if the proximity to the monster is too much for you tiny. he can have an easter egg hunt with grandma somewhere safe! then do the church breakfast next year.
:) khairete
S.
Absolutely take him-it sounds like an awesom event. One that memories are made of to be sure. And yes, don't make him sit on the lap...don't even mention it. Let him tell you if he wants to. And be ready to leave also if he IS scared...you might want to take seperate cars than your mom.
I never really pushed the Easter Bunny lap with my boys-it kind of freaked me out too! But I always made sure they did egg hunts and stuff like that.
I remember thinking to myself (O. Easter about 6 years ago) when did we start sitting on EB's lap? Have you looked at the faces of those costumes? They are downright freaky and terror inducing!
As for your breakfast, I guess it wouldn't hurt to go and try, but if he wants to leave, I would. I would NOT suggest a lapsit!
Yes, by all means go. Don't let the bunny get too close. Someday it will be a wonderful memory that will make you smile. Take lots of pictures. When my MIL was dying from cancer her only regret in life was not taking enough pictures. Now this is a woman who had pictures of Ronald Regan holding my husband in his arms. She took lots of pictures when the kids were small and my FIL was in the navy. But later in life she stopped. That is so sad to me. I try to take lots and lots of pictures of everything.
I'd wait. We never pushed Santa, The Easter Bunny, etc. Now he basically attacks any mascot-y thing he sees. Poor Chucky E. Cheese gets LOTS of attention from my son.
Mom will survive, next year will be here in NO TIME!
I say try it. If he seems like he is scared or hesitant about it then you know. It seems like an easy enough setting that if he seems not quite ready for the bunny..you could take a plate or some goodies home and call it good for this year.
This is not holiday related but my best comparison..My kids love the outside of Rain forrest cafe. I took my older son when he was little, scare the day lights inside out of him. I was sad because i love the food oddly enough. So when ever we were at the mall we just went and everytime we get a bit further inside. We have tried to eat again. we have been able to order even. as soon as the darn thunderstrom starts he is outta of there. My middle one too. We get our plates to go. I am not pushing them into sitting through a meal scared. Yes i will keep trying though. Eventually one day he will be ok sitting through it. If not I still get the few days were we at least make it to a table and order, even if it means we eat in the car. I go for the food and the company of my kids. So, if he is not ready for the easter bunny you can try try again next year. You are at a try and see stage in life:)
You may find if you take him and he did get a little stressed out he may not sleep for the night. I went back over and saw that was another concern. Both my 6 and 4 year old sleep by stress sometimes. So, if your up for a not so good night of sleep. It maybe worth it in the long run to still see what happens. If you end up cuddled on the couch you know it may have been a little much and to proceed next year with a bit more knowledge of how he reacts. You wont know though until he trys to get his ears in and try.
I could have written this except it is my 3.5 year old daughter! We went to an Easter Bunny Brunch Saturday and she had night terrors last night....She was scared to death of the Easter Bunny. She has never seen characters before -- we never took the kids to see Santa or anything. This was a first. Now she goes around telling us how she doesn't like "characters" -- she heard me telling our nanny about it Saturday afternoon.
I say play it by ear after a few more days -- see if his sleep improves or worsens and his preoccupation with the Easter Bunny -- as the week goes on. And keep him away from the bunny at the event next weekend if you go :) Good luck! My 2.5 year old wanted to run up to the Easter Bunny and take a picture so each kid is different!
I don't think you need to miss the whole event, but I definitely wouldn't push sitting with the Easter Bunny. My youngest (also 2) sat on Santa's lap once with her sister last Christmas. Any other place we went, she wanted to steer clear from the man in the red suit. This didn't mean that we didn't go places where Santa was present. I just made sure I didn't bring her too close, and allowed her to wave from a distance where she felt safe. The same thing is true of the Easter Bunny. This past weekend we went to an Easter egg hunt and the Easter Bunny was there for pictures. My daughter was perfectly content to look at the Easter Bunny from a distance, but didn't want to go to close. In most cases, I have found it easy to avoid getting too close to characters. If the Easter Bunny is walking around, just pick up your son if he gets too close and say (loud enough for the bunny to hear) "the Easter Bunny just wants to say hi. He wont get too close. Let's wave from here". Sometimes people can't see too well in the suits, but they usually get the message to keep their distance if you say something.
Maybe try the easter bunny next year, so instead of the easter egg hunt there- have one in your yard. your son will be comfortable in his own surroundings. The bunny can wait another year.
Ask your son what HE would like to do, go or not go, and leave it up to him. Do not force him to go see the Easter Bunny if it is something he doesn't want to do - if you force him to go, you are traumatizing your child for a make believe rabbit ? Get serious here, your photo opportunities take a back seat to your child's feelings. Your mom will get over it - your child's feelings RULE over your mother's or your feelings.
I also am a bit disturbed by your comment he 'was actually ‘seeing things’ in the room that weren’t there' You dismiss your child's accounts, based on what You see, not what He sees. Just because you and I don't see what a small child does, does not make it not there. Do you believe in God ? Well you don't see him either, but you know he is there....So is the spirit world, its all around us, and yes there Are things - scary things, that many adults cannot see - a child is much more likely to experience and see things - my own kids all can see (and describe to me in vivid detail what they see - and it is pretty darn scary) thank God I cannot see the things because I couldn't handle it. I wish parents would not so easily dismiss their kids - don't tell them 'oh that isn't there' when it is. Just try to calm them and have a prayer to feel better about their scary encounters - and get yourself educated on this matter, because it is more real than you are obviously aware.....
