Do your kids believe in the Easter Bunny? How old were they when they stopped believing, or you told them? OR did you tell them Easter Bunny wasnt real?
Im very curious, mainly because I grew up Jewish. We never did the Easter Bunny or Santa. But, since I married somebody who wasnt Jewish, we do the Santa thing. Both my kids believe in Santa. BUT, I never did the Easter Bunny with them. They both know the Easter Bunny isnt real? Do I seem cruel as Ive always told them the Easter Bunny isn't real, yet they both believe in Santa?
My kids do Easter egg hunts every year. Yesterday at my daughters Preschool(which is a church based preschool)I took them both to an Easter Program there, which they did a craft, the Pastor read a story about Easter, and they did an Easter Hunt. BUT, I found it interesting, that the Easter Bunny wasnt mentioned at all.

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 10:33 am:

This is handled differently depending on each family's beliefs and religious practices. I don't think it's wrong to do it one way or another, just different. I used to teach at a Catholic school and the focus was on the religious (Christian) aspects of Easter, not the Easter Bunny.

My kids (5 & 7) believe in the Easter Bunny, but probably not for much longer. They certainly enjoy the fun of coloring eggs and taking part in the egg/goody hunt. They still believe in Santa as well, although I think DS (almost 8) has it figured out. We see no harm in playing along with it all. I have fond memories as a kid of Christmas and Easter and was not upset when I learned the truth. I continued to play along for my little sister's sake. All part of the magic of childhood.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 10:48 am:

My kids are too old for Santa and the Easter Bunny anymore. They still wanted me to hide their baskets. I usually do the candy and such myself after they go to bed, but yesterday I wasn't feeling very well, so I had them put the candy in anyway. Then I just hid them.

By Peggy13 on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 10:59 am:

My kid have never asked about Santa & the bunny - although my oldest 18 & 16 sure don't believe. My two youngest 11 & 9 are borderline (actually I don't think the 11 year old believes, but he's not talking). My 9 year old says "of course I believe in Santa, but not sure about that bunny".

By Ladypeacek on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 01:10 pm:

WEll my ds is too young to care, lol (18 months) and my dd is 8 now, i think she knows they aren't real but plays along for my sake, lol. I agree that its not right or wrong to believe or chose not to, just personal preference. My dd knows the real reason for both holidays in the religious aspect since we are christians. I make sure she understands that part!

By Texannie on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 01:24 pm:

We "do" Santa, but for some reason I have never felt comfortable playing up the Easter bunny. My kids get a few little trinkets, but they are more Easter presents rather than from the bunny. We have always done our egg hunts with the whole family later in the day so they knew we were the ones hiding the eggs.

By Debbie on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 04:29 pm:

My youngest ds(age 3) believes in the Easter Bunny and Santa. My oldest ds (age 6) just informed me last week that he knows the Easter Bunny is not real. He knows that it is just a "man in a suit", the same for the characters at Disney(we were just there in Dec.). But when I asked him about Santa, he said "oh no Mom, Santa is real" I was so glad. I am not ready for him to not believe in Santa.

By Pamt on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 07:58 pm:

In my church experience (growing up-Methodist, now-Baptist) the Easter bunny was never mentioned at any church function since it has nothing to do with the true meaning of Easter. The Easter bunny comes to our house, but we don't make a big deal about it. All the gifts in their basket have a spiritual message behind them (DS1 got a contemporary Christian CS and DS2 got a Bibleman DVD) and we use the resurrection eggs to explain the purpose of Easter and why we celebrate it.

DS1 (10 y/o) asked me if the Easter bunny was real this year and I told him no, because I'd rather him focus on the meaning of Easter. We won't tell DS2 (7 y/o) until he asks, but we are doing nothing to really encourage him belief either. I am a little more evasive on the Santa issue.

I don't mind the whole Santa thing as much as the Easter bunny for 2 reasons:
1) Saint Nicholas was a real person and his story is a great example of charity and helping others.
2) Easter is THE most important holy-day in the Christian church. If it weren't for Easter then Christmas would have no significance at all. The miracle and power of Easter is what the Christian faith is built on and I don't want it excessively watered down with eggs, bunnies, and chocolate.

By Cat on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 08:00 pm:

My kids (8 and 10) don't believe in the Easter Bunny. We still do the eggs and a hunt, though. My youngest told me today he'd rather it be an Easter Monkey! rofl They do both still believe in Santa though.

By Michimo on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 09:56 pm:

My kids have never believed in the easter bunny, or santa. They get easter baskets, and stockings, but they've always known santa and easter bunny were fictional, as well as the tooth fairy, etc. I know it sounds harsh, but I just couldn't do it. Growing up, we were told that these characters were fictional, and it was a sin to believe in them. We are not that strict with our children, but always stressed that other children might not know, and our kids should NEVER be the ones to tell their friends the truth! They are careful to go along with it if the issue comes up at school.

By Jessicac1979 on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 11:14 pm:

I work at a daycare and I had to lie to one of the older kids when they asked me if the Easter Bunny was real (there were other little ones around) I felt bad lieing but you know let them find out from someone else not me. My daughter is only 5 so she gets way excited about the Easter bunny, she was up at 730 running back to our room yelling the easter bunny came the easter bunny came-it was cute even though it was early!

By Marcia on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 11:26 pm:

My kids all still believe in both. Our focus is on the religious aspect of it, but we do both. We didn't talk about the bunny at all this year, then last night they put out carrots and left a note. As long as they know what the holiday's are really about, and why they are so important, I'm fine with the fun stuff. It's part of childhood.

By Bobbie on Sunday, April 11, 2004 - 11:58 pm:

Okay, My children no longer believe in the Bunny. The girls 7 informed us yesterday that they knew it was just daddy and I. In our house we don't let the bells and whistles of Christmas and Easter over shadow their history. To us one has nothing to do with the other. They know the meanings of both holidays and we started telling them about the history when they are young, the girls at 7 can tell you exactly what happened on those days and why they are so important to us. They aren't sucked up in the hoopla. I think it all has to do with how you present the holidays and how you raise them. What importance you instill in them. Major case of they follow your lead. If you make a big deal they make a big deal. Okay that is like Holloween. Some people don't celebrate it because of the whole "evil" issues, it is a sin. To us it is about dressing up silly and having a good time. It isn't about worshiping "evil". It is about caring on a tradition and making family memories not about worshiping the "idols" (Santa, Bunny, ghouls and gobblins) .

By Mommyathome on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 01:14 pm:

My girls are 5 (almost 6) and 4. They both believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa....and the Tooth Fairy etc.
They also know the real meanings of the holidays and why we celebrate them the way we do!
I will be sad when my kids are too old to believe.