Bad bunny

I was a bad bunny. 

I’ll never forget the Easter I was determined to be the virtuous green goddess (aka diet culture) bunny. 

Candy hidden in Easter eggs? No way.

Chocolate bunny in the Easter basket? Not a chance.

Jelly beans in the faux Easter grass? Nope. 

Not for this clean mama and her disciples. 

As our kids dashed around the yard looking for their eggs, suspense to see what was inside was mounting. 

As they gathered on the grass to crack open their eggs, excitement dwindled as quickly as the air leaving a popped balloon. 

“Where’s the candy?”
“Why is there fake sugar cereal in these?”

“At least there’s some money in a couple”.

The comments and discontent were verging on mutiny except they were (thankfully) too young to know how to organize and demand reparations. 

Green goddess wasn’t going down that day though. It would take her some time to unlearn diet culture’s ways and it might be taking you some time to learn, too. 

I’m here to remind you to fill your kid’s baskets and eggs with candy and anything else you want. The important thing is to allow yourself and your kids a chance to eat sugary foods that are part of holiday celebrations. 

The healthy thing to do isn’t to deprive your kids of sugar. The healthy thing to do is to allow them to be exposed to all sorts of foods and let them make choices from there. Create a safe space for them away from diet culture to explore what they enjoy eating. 

While you’re at the store, buy some candy for other times during the year, too. Doing this reminds kids that sugary foods are safe and allowed more than just once or twice a year for holidays. 

Our kids will get all the things except those Cadbury milk eggs which don’t come close to any Jelly Bean, Peep or Recess Easter shaped situation IMHO.  

If you celebrate, Hoppy Easter!
Sorry, I can’t resist bad Dad jokes.