So this week I have been trying to be a better mom... whatever that means. I also wasn't sure how I was going to teach my children about Easter. I could actually just let the day pass and they would not be any the wiser. I am not that fond of the Easter Bunny anyhow and would like for him NOT to come and bring candy. I expressed my thoughts to a friend and she said that we are the ones that are supposed to teach our children about holidays and why we celebrate them. Ok not in those exact words. But it got me to thinking.
I wanted to help my children to learn more about the atonement and why we celebrate Easter. So I asked them why do we have Easter? To which the reply came, The Easter Bunny. Oh GREAT!!! Just what I want them to tell their Sunday School teacher, actually I don't care, but in all reality I would like them to know the true meaning of Easter. So I dug through my family home evening lessons and found several lessons on Easter and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Each day (starting last night, because that was when I had the brilliant idea) we are and have been having a mini lesson on Jesus and Him atoning for our sins and sorrows and what that means to us. The first night we did a little lesson on the Easter Bunny and I thought what in the world do eggs and the Saviour have anything to do with each other. Doug said that the egg represented a new life (that is when we don't eat it) and that the Saviour made it possible that we could live with Him and Father in Heaven again, thus giving us new life. I also thought that because the egg was white is represented purity (of course that is after it has been bleached). So we explained that to the girls.
I hope that I am instilling a basic understanding of the atonement to my girls. I hope that after they hear 3 more variations of the same story that they might be able gain a certain knowledge that in order for us to live with Daxton again, the Saviour had to atone for us.
Now to the title.... Tonight as we got home from the cemetery to visit Daxton's grave, I told the girls to get their jammies on and get ready for bad. It was fast approaching 8 o clock and I am generally NOT a very good mommy after 8pm, so I said, "You two better hurry! I am not a very nice mommy after 8 o clock." To which Savannah added, "Are you going to show us your grumpy face?" Well not after that :) She is TOOOO smart.
5 comments:
Haha--I love that girl! I too struggle with the Easter bunny thing but the atonement/resurrection is a hard thing to grasp, even for adults. Great idea, though, to prepare for it the week before with lessons about the Savior. I'm just proud of myself for having dresses for Sunday and some eggs to boil in the fridge. You're way ahead of me!!
I have never heard that comparison before with the eggs and new life. I like it. Thanks for posting your little story.
I haven't commented on your blog before, and you don't know me. I have followed you in your journey of healing and have been touched by your words. I am commenting because I have struggled long and hard to come up with a "spiritual" reason behind the Easter Bunny (and Santa Claus) and came up with a few brilliant ideas (at least to me!) I thought I would share!
1. The Easter Bunny hides some empty eggs with the filled ones, to remind us that the tomb was empty, just like the egg and that is our greatest Easter gift.
2. The Easter Bunny always leaves us a note saying that he is so happy because Jesus gave his life for us & was resurrected, so he wants all the little boys and girls to remember about Jesus and to make them smile. That is why he leaves treats!
3. My kids always get a book about Jesus in their basket. The eggs are also filled with bouncy balls, quarters and small stickers. Less candy!!
4. My kids favorite things to do is to make ressurection buns. We do this after church. (take thawed Rhodes roll dough, flatten one and spread around a marshmellow. Dip in melted butter and roll in cinnamon & sugar mix. Bake according to directions.) When you break them open, the Marshmellow is gone. Just like when they opened the door to the tomb, it was empty!
I am sorry this is such a long comment. Hopefully my long hard work will benifit you and others. Good luck this Easter. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!!
Love you Britt. It has been awhile since i STOPPED BY your blog, or anyones for that matter. Just wanted to say thank you fro sharing! Love you, Rell.
Hi, I met you through Kisha and check up on your blog from time to time. :) My mil got me a book from Deseret titled "A Christ-centered Easter" and it has a ton of ideas on how to teach the real reasons of why we celebrate. A lot of it can be geared to children. I highly recommend it for next year.
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