I recently attended the Rotary Club”s 86th annual Easter egg hunt at the fairgrounds over the weekend. After experiencing an egg hunt that was of mixed ages a few years ago, I was looking forward to this one as it is segregated into age groups. My son is not quite 4 so he went to the youngest group. We were given directions several times to allow our children to collect their own eggs. I”m assuming this was so that every child would have a fair opportunity to get some and have fun.
When we got the “go” I was shocked and appalled to see grown adults race out to the field and immediately start grabbing fistfuls of eggs to dump in their child”s baskets. Normally I”m all for the “not everyone wins” mentality but this was ridiculous! An egg hunt for children was being spoiled by rude adults. In the end, a handful of children wound up with overflowing baskets and the rest of the brood had just a couple or none at all. After the less than 10 minute brewhaha was over I saw young children crying at the lack of eggs. One mother unfruitfully tried to comfort her son, giving him a high-five and telling him that he did a great job collecting two eggs. Meanwhile he glared at the woman and 2-year-old within his eyeshot and their overflowing bucket with tears streaming down his face.
It”s amazing to me that adults would spoil the group”s fun in an effort to make sure their child got the most. We, as parents, are the most influential people in our children”s lives. They look to us to set an example on how to behave. If we want them to follow the rules, we need to do so as well. To make the experience more enjoyable for everyone I suggest that the Rotary Club disallow parents on to the field and eject anyone who does not follow the rules. As for me, my lesson is learned. Next year I will be hiding my own eggs and inviting a few of my children”s friends over. It”s a sad day when a preschooler has to be comforted over getting a single egg because adults can”t follow directions.
Tara Walsh
Nice
