Am I the only nerdy mom who does a “trial run” of Easter Baskets and stockings to make sure things fit? It’s probably just the excessive-worrier in me, but I would hate to get to the morning of and have too little or too much.
That’s right – after I have amassed enough “things” and my kids are in bed, I creep down into my basement to do a mock-up of their baskets. I mean, I’m only 4 years into this whole parenting thing…maybe I’ll be more confident in the future.
The Easter baskets this year are NOT entirely plastic-free.
I’d like to eventually go that route, but for now, I’m happy that it’s at least no NEW plastic.
When I went shopping with my sister last Saturday, I picked up a few things at Goodwill that I thought my boys would like.
Before I had my first child, I was very much into getting “new” things for my baby that were going to be well-cared for etc. etc.
Buuuuuuuut…….after being a parent for awhile, you realize that kids destroy things.
And not like a little glob of jelly or peanut butter here or there, I mean things ripped to shreds and blown apart. You know in horror movies when a normal person gets taken over by a different “being” or “alien creature” and the heroes try to reason to the human side of their previous friend so that said friend won’t use their newly acquired claws and rows of teeth to tear them to shreds? When in all actuality, that time being spent trying to reason would be WAY better spent running away in an attempt of self-preservation? Know what I’m talking about?
I feel like that sums up life with toddler boys.
I have encountered numerous times where one of my children will have random pieces and cards to something, say Candyland, and I’m chasing them and they pause and I try to calmly tell them to put the parts down. And they get that glint in their eye and proceed to not only rip and bend the cards, but throw the little gingerbread man game pieces across the room- to completely separate areas of the room – while yelling maniacally.
And while you chase down the pieces, they take their reign of terror back to the living room to start using the cardboard box as a sled and when they realize it’s not a sled, they hulk out and destroy it. With their teeth.
My littlest had a favorite book with moving animal pieces that he LOVED so much that he wanted to make sure NO ONE else could love it. I’m still finding frogs and bunnies and turning wheels with bugs on it because he shredded it.
This is really just a long way to say that my kids don’t take care of things. YET. (I’m still hoping for a better tomorrow.) Which means, I’m more than OK with buying things that are already used at a cheaper price because my kids will destroy them anyhow.
So I acquired several things at Goodwill for them including a new in wrapping puzzle of London (my oldest is really into puzzles right now), a package of sidewalk chalk for the littlest monster boy, and a new in package Mickey Mouse Hot wheel car as we are also really into Hot wheels right now.
Both boys are getting Lush Easter bath bombs – with a bubble animal inside. And the rest of the items are honestly previous presents from Christmas that I ended up hiding from my kids because they get SO many presents for Christmas.
I tuck excess presents away in the closet so that when we get stir crazy in the middle of winter, I can pull out something new. I always forget! My husband reminds me to look when their birthdays approach and then I re-gift them for their birthdays.
It’s a win for mommy and the environment this way.
Today I ordered stainless steel straw cups because all the plastic cups that I asked for for Christmas are pretty much broken. Sigh….and I’m tired of them and their brokenness. So each kid may get a cup in their Easter basket too.
Maybe I’ll fill them with something.
They’ll also get these jeweled eggs filled with bulk candy scattered about their baskets, and maybe some coins.
I’m finding I’m more apt to give them coins or actual money because they LOVE putting it in their piggy bank and it usually goes to their college fund instead of to plastic toys that break.
Boy, I am getting old and crotchety! Maybe I’ll just solidify this and give out butterscotch candies too! And start yelling at them for running on my lawn!
I’m trying to focus on experiences over things……experiences over things.
Speaking of which, we have the big FOUR birthday approaching in our house and besides the Lush turtle jelly bomb I splurged on, we got a zoo family pass (“It’s YOUR present!! Happy Birthday!!!!!”), and everything else was regifted or leftover from Christmas.
Yep, still at the point where not everything gets opened at Christmas.
Maybe next year, the baskets will be full of all plastic-free goodies, but this is where I’m at this year.
What zero waste things are going into your Easter baskets?
The Beck Trek 