Easter Weekend

We had the best Easter weekend since Jettson was born. Jett gets Easter now and Owen was just a doll. He loved it. Both of them loved hunting for eggs. On Saturday we went to Capitola Beach for our community Easter Egg hunt. It was really fun.

The announcer told the crowd that each child was only allowed 3 eggs and if the child had more that he/she was to give the extra eggs to someone who did not have 3 eggs. No problem...I explained to Jettson what the announcer said and that at the end of the hunt we count our eggs and if he had more than 3 we would find other children that did not have 3 eggs and give them away.

While the boys and I were counting their eggs (both had 4) a little boy (about 5 or 6 years old) walked up to Jett's basket and said "hey, you have more than three eggs! Give them to me so that I give them to someone else!" The boy then proceeded to take the eggs out of the boys baskets. Jettson was telling the boy that he was not allowed to take things from others. Meanwhile, I asked the little boy if he had 3 eggs? He looked at me like I was nuts and said "yes." I said "well then I guess you don't need to take our eggs. We can distribute them oursleves, thank you." The boys' mom was watching and she looked at me a little oddly and then said to her son "give the eggs back." He did so, relunctantly. She looked at me like she was not sure that I was honest enough to actually give the eggs away.

However, right after the above incident two children ran by with empty baskets and Jett asked them if they had any eggs. The older girl said no and explained that her and her brother got there too late. Jett said, "that's ok, we have some for you" he then gave his and Owen's eggs away. I was really wishing that the mother of the first boy would have been there to witness the exchange.

It really made me thing about socialism...We hunted the eggs they were "ours" to do with what we wanted however, some loud voice from some unseen place was telling us that we must give away any eggs over 3 to someone else who did not have 3 eggs. My boys and I tend to always share whatever we have. I really do not like being told to "give." I felt that the little boy who came along to police us was like some mini politician taking away our eggs to distribute himself. However, how were we to be sure the boy was really going to distribute those extra eggs? How were we to be sure that he was honest? Was he going to send us an accounting of some sort?

I am really not trying to be contentious about the event but it really did bug me. I felt like it was such a bad message to send to kids. I really felt like the little boy was to young to be so stressed out about something that was really none of his concern. I am teaching my children everyday how to give & share. And actually, the little I am mentioning is an only child (I happen to be acquainted with him and his mother). I am not sure if that is one of the reasons he happened to be so bossy and pushy. Since Jettson has a little brother in his life it has made him a little less bossy & more open to sharing. Actually, I have told Jettson that he is not first around here and that there others that he must think about i.e. his little brother. We as a family are conscience about giving and helping our fellow neighbor we do not need to be told to do it or policed. Happy Easter!