Are You The Easter Bunny?

Yesterday after school, Avery and I were in my bedroom reading, when she turned to me and said that she had something important to ask me. I put down my book...

Avery: "If the Easter Bunny brings us candy and toys, then why do stores sell those things too?"

Me: "That's a good question. Why do you think stores sell those things?"

Avery: "I think it's because parents are really the Easter Bunny. Are you the Easter Bunny? Am I right?"

Me: "What do you think? Do you think you're right?"

Avery: "Yes, because I don't really think there can be such a thing as a big bunny who sneaks into your house at night. That just doesn't seem real to me. Am I right?"

Me: "Yes, Avery, you are right."

Avery: "I knew it! That is so funny! Why do parents do that?"

Me: "Because it's fun. And because we love seeing your face light up on Easter morning."

Avery: "I think those are great reasons. And I think it's so cool that it's really you that's been giving us all that stuff. That's so nice of you. So, if you're the Easter Bunny, is Daddy Santa Claus?"

*Sigh*

So, my 7-year-old daughter figured it out, all on her own. Avery, so it seems to me anyway, has always been in a hurry to figure things out and grow up much more quickly than I'd like for her to. She's always been inquisitive. Always asked questions. Always been able to connect the dots. Always thinking. Always asking. Always... I love that about her. But at times, I wish she'd slow down.

I was in 1st grade when a friend told me the truth about Santa Claus. I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it. I continued to believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny until I was in 6th grade. 6th grade!!! That's when my 2 older sisters showed me the Easter candy and goodies that had been "hidden" in our laundry room by our mom. I remember my mom talking to me about it and telling me the truth. I wasn't upset. I remember thinking it was funny, kind of like Avery did.

I wanted to lie to Avery last night, because there is a huge part of me that wants her to stay little and innocent and naive. I don't want her to lose that wonderful child-like imagination that she has. But I realized very early on with Avery that she "gets" things much sooner than a lot of other kids her age. I realized that with Avery, when she starts asking questions, honesty is always the best policy. Because if I don't tell her the truth from the very beginning, she will just continue to ask questions until she does get the truth. And because 9 times out of 10, she already knows the truth before she ever asks the first question. And so I've created a very honest, very open relationship with her, and she knows that she can ask me anything. She asks, and even though at times I don't want to tell her the truth, I always do. And so she keeps coming back to me for answers, for which I have to remind myself at times, is really a good thing.

There's a fine line to be walked in all of this though. Even though Avery seeks these answers from me, sometimes I have to not tell her the WHOLE truth. Sometimes, she's just not ready to hear everything. It's kind of like the Easter story of Christ on the cross. You can't tell a 2 year old that Jesus was brutally killed on a wooden cross for our salvation. You focus on Jesus leaving the tomb and going to Heaven to prepare a place for us. But when chlidren are around 9 or 10, they start asking questions and wanting to know the full story, which interestingly enough, seems to be the age that a lot of children start to "get it" and come to know Christ as their Savior.

My hope in all of this is that later in Avery's life, when she really needs answers to the much more important questions, that she will know that she can come to me for those answers too. I hope and pray that will be the case.

And so this Easter, my prayer for my daughter as well as for my 2 sons, is that they will always seek the truth, and that they will always know exactly where they can find it. Happy Easter!

Christ has risen!

"He himself bore our sins on his body on the tree, so that we might die to our sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds, we are healed." 1 Peter 2:24

"For what I have received, I have passed on to you as of the most importance; that Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." John 8:32