Faith in the Easter Bunny does not harm children

Why the belief in the Easter Bunny does not harm the relationship of trust between parent and child

31/03/2012

Easter is coming next weekend. Millions of children in Germany and many parts of the world are looking for bright Easter eggs on Easter Sunday. In the small nests parents hide all sorts of sweets. Most kids believe that the Easter bunny is at night „secretly“ hiding the eggs, which the children can find and collect the next morning. Lena from Hannover (5) is already looking forward to the gifts of the Easter Bunny: „The Easter bunny comes at night, my parents have told me. Then I search together with my heaviest the treats, which the dear hare has hidden for us. Unfortunately, I have not seen the Easter Bunny yet“. Are parents allowed to have their children? „lie to“ and tell of a being that in truth does not exist? For parents are the most important sources of truth for the children. Could the relationship of trust suffer if they expose the lie? Experts answer these questions.

Astrid Gerber, mother of three children, does not believe in the Easter custom. „My children should know from the beginning that the Easter Bunny does not exist. After all, I do not want them to know that their parents have been lying to them for years“. The Heidelberg professor of medicine Georg Franck von Franckenau stated in 1682 that the custom for Easter was made out of the children „Ignorant to the laughter of the elders“. In his book „De Ovis Paschalibus - From Easter Eggs“ he wrote: „It makes simpler people and young children know, these eggs brood the Easter bunny and hide them in the garden, in the grass, in the bushes and so on, and you want to let them seek out the boys to the exhilarating laughter of the elders.“

Sandra Olmützer, mother of a four-year-old son, sees things quite differently: „My child is so looking forward to the Easter bunny. His eyes light up when I tell him about it. At some point he will come to the conclusion that the Easter Bunny does not exist. And he will know that I gave him pleasure then.“.

Should parents deliberately fool their children?
Two different positions in a sensitive question: Should parents fool their children or rather take the illusion of the Easter bunny? What my experts on the subject? „The childish belief in fantasy characters is quite good for cognitive development“, explains the psychologist and researcher Jacqueline Woolley from the University of Texas in Austin. The child psychologist has been researching the field of brain development for many years. The belief in the Easter bunny „stimulates the imagination and lets children consider options that do not exist in the real world“, says the scientist.

Gritli Bertram, social pedagogue from Hannover advises parents not to take the childish belief in the Easter Bunny. „When other children talk enthusiastically about the Easter Bunny, their own child is very sad when their own parents say: There is no Easter Bunny!“ It hurts „In no case to believe the children, mythical creatures, Santa Claus or Easter bunnies“, emphasizes the teacher. On the contrary, each child paints a picture of the hare inside. „This stimulates creativity and promotes mental abilities“, is also Bertram.

At the age of three, most children begin to believe in beings from the fantasy world. The parents are considered very integrity and credibility. If they tell of the Christ Child, Nicholas or the Easter Bunny, then the children of all Rule also take it from them.

However, psychologist Ute Bayen from the University of Düsseldorf warns against too great disappointments and the loss of the relationship of trust between parent and child. „Here the relationship of trust is endangered. Because the children could be disappointed when they realize they have been lied to.“ Therefore, in the opinion of the expert, parents should be sensitive to the topic. If children begin to doubt the existence of the Easter Bunny, parents should not necessarily oppose it. It would be better to support the critical questioning. Such as: „Can little rabbits really carry such big eggs??

Support critical queries
The American psychologist Jacqueline Woolley advises parents at such moments to allow children to ask their critical questions and to be told. The children should simply talk about themselves, what they believe in and what they do not. In her experience, the Easter bunny usually never takes on as high a status as the Santa Claus or Santa Claus. The latter are more socially anchored anyway and take a higher priority for the children. For this reason „doubts arise much earlier in the Easter Bunny“, she says. It is therefore no problem if parents „to play the Easter bunny“, as long as it's fun for everyone involved. If that's not the case anymore, that's okay too. „Children can also develop their imagination in other ways.“

The child and adolescent psychiatrist Gerd Lehmkuhl from the University Hospital Cologne says, children hear in the course of development anyway by themselves to believe in the Easter Bunny. This usually happens when children talk about the subject in kindergarten or at school. Children realize that he does not exist and yet they hope, „that the rabbit comes and brings the eggs.“ The children can not suffer any psychological damage, says pedagogue Bertram. „As long as everything is playful, big and small can take part in the game of hiding Easter eggs“. The children will not reproach the parents later. Eventually they realize that mother or father was the Easter Bunny hiding the delicious chocolate bunnies. (Sb)

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Picture: Fritz Zühlke