Recently I noticed that my motivation for creative activities with my kids has really plummeted. To my credit, I think it’s in part because my kids are much more likely to entertain themselves than they were two years ago. When I had a 3- and 1-year old, they were aimless unless I gave them direction — painting! Play-doh! Cooking! Crafts! Once David and I even cleaned pennies. Now they’ll immerse themselves in imaginary play. Mary Virginia will set up a shop that David will shop at with money he colored and cut.
Why would I get in the way of that?
There’s also the very likely possibility that I’ve gotten even lazier. I know, I didn’t think it was possible either. I’m all about crushing expectations.
Along with motivation for daily crafting has gone my motivation for very special, traditional, memory-making crafting. Like dyeing Easter eggs.
But we did it anyway. I dutifully dragged a table down from the deck (ok, Tom did that part) and boiled eggs, and prepared dye.
And, sigh, then I remembered why I used to be so motivated to do sensory activities and seasonal crafts: the kids loved it.
David, especially, really enjoyed it. He dyed his eggs and then re-dyed all of Mary Virginia’s (which were all a light shade of pink when she was done with them). He loved mixing colors, making patterns. It was really fun to watch him create.
We dyed the eggs outside because that is my #1 tip for dyeing eggs with kids: DO IT OUTSIDE!
I have another tip, too. If you have a toddler that you’d just rather keep out of the whole thing, give him a Popsicle. It’ll buy you a little time.
After Thomas finished his Popsicle, he took matters into his own hands. He walked away and got a chair, dragged it to the table, and helped himself to an egg.
Then I felt bad and remembered that when David was Thomas’s age I COULD NOT WAIT to dye eggs with him. My, how things change.
Thomas also loved dyeing eggs. Or, egg. Singular. One egg that he stirred and lifted out of the dye, proudly, then plopped back in the bowl. And repeat.
He didn’t even mind that I hovered over him the entire time saying, “Thomas, are you all done?”
“No.”
The next day was Easter day, and we celebrated with a breakfast of Reese’s eggs and those lovingly, patiently dyed hardboiled eggs. Then I dressed the kids in their carefully-selected, coordinating outfits, and told them NO MORE EATING, NO MORE COLORING, DO NOT GO OUTSIDE, PLEASE ONLY BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE.
Maybe my favorite memory of the day was when Tom put Thomas’s sport coat on and he was so delighted, so proud. He walked around holding up the coat, beaming, saying “ON! ON!”
Or maybe my favorite moment was when we were late for church and I reminded Tom of the mandatory Easter photo. QUICK! Someone find an azalea! Stand together! Look at Mommy! Smile!
And they totally nailed it. (With the promise of jelly beans if they cooperated, of course.)
Happy Easter — I hope you had a wonderful holiday celebrating the Resurrection.
Death is swallowed up in victory…Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:54,57
Whoa! Heck yea they nailed it!!
They are all adorable, but that dress on Mary Virginia is perfect!!
Their grammy gave them the outfits! She always knocks it out of the park!
My husband dyes them. And he also mixes colors, dies half one color, and the other half another… things his mother didn’t let him do as a child.
Our other Easter tradition is Sacrificed Peep Salad, in keeping with the theme of Easter. He always purchases Peeps, but neither of us particularly like them. It is just one of those things that destroy a holiday if not present. Being cheap, while I understood, I disliked purchasing something that would eventually make their way to the trash can.
A few Easters ago, I contemplated possibilities, and… Find a Watergate Salad recipe you like. and substitute Peeps, who have been sacrificed with the kitchen scissors to roughly mini marshmallow size. Sacrificed Peep Salad.