Dreaded Easter Egg Hunt

Daddy (blue hoodie) and the little girl (in stripe pants)
waiting for the egg hunt to start.

It's that time of the year again.  Easter Egg Hunts organized by local parents, town municipalities, schools, etc.  I am excited and dreading these event. Last year, we took our then 3 year old to one, set up by the neighboring town, on the local high schools football field. When we got there, the parking lot was completely packed. The field was separated into 2 sections, one for kindergarten and younger, another for the older kids. We lined up in the younger kids section, with 50 kids and 100 parents.  The excitement was palpable.

I wasn't worried about the 50 or so kids.  I worried about the 100 parents.  They were much bigger than the kids.  The moved much faster than kids.  And they were more vicious.  Signs with "Kids Only" were everywhere.  But, when the whistle blew, and the rope separating the wave of humanity and the colorful eggs was dropped, all hell broke loose.

Parents of pre-schoolers ran to pick up the eggs.  I'm sure the event was not meant for 35 year old moms and dads to push each other and little kids to get at plastic eggs with candies inside.  Granted, I stood back with our newborn.  My husband was with our little girl in the crowd.  But, I can say for certain, he did not pick up any eggs for her.  He pointed to the eggs and told her to pick them up.  But, the important job for him was to make sure she wasn't trampled.

My little girl picked up 10 eggs, because she can count up to 10, and that's the number she wanted.  Some eggs had candy, some had stickers.  All that goodies were more than enough for a 3 year old. I don't see the point of fully-grown adults regressing to children just for some candy.

This year, we are going to the town's Easter Egg Hunt event with my daughter again.  She is excited.  Now, at 4, she knows that she'll get candy.  I hope that, I implore, other parents to let the kids do the egg picking themselves.  It's their event, not yours.  Your job is to make sure that your child is not trampled and that your child enjoys herself.  Not to take candy from little kids.