Our Easter Dilemma

Or, before I get too carried away, maybe not exactly a dilemma, but more the evolution of a tradition that has served as an excellent motivator for the kids, especially so Punk 1, to keep using their German.

See, normally we’ve been getting a visit from the German Easter Bunny as it has been making a special trip over the pond to visit and leave little treats for all the kids who put in a good effort at speaking German or who have been speaking German more so than usual/without complaining/whatever fits the current circumstances or only to make their mother happy. It normally comes to the closest monthly outing of our German playgroup, possibly because the date for the outing has been close in time to Easter over the last few years and most of the kids were young enough to believe.

Not so this year. There’s a 2 week period in-between the two, and most kids are now too old, so sadly, most parents are not really all that into it anymore. Even though it’s always been a lot of fun, what with getting everyone out of town and into the woods to go hiking until someone spots the German Easter Bunny just hopping away in the distance. Something that then results in a mad pursuit by a bunch of excited and shrieking toddlers, preschoolers and everyone else who still believes or fakes it, a lengthy egg hunt and everyone pooling their loot for sharing to ensure kids of all ages end up getting a fair share (which, if you play it right, also includes a lesson on counting and numbers in German!).

This has always worked wonders on Punk 1, she who needs constant reminders of why speaking German is really and truly a good thing. Punk 2, he who is more willing to go with the flow and hence not nearly as difficult about most things, is in it for the chocolate, but still benefits from some fun, all in German.

So no such luck this year, and we also don't have time to accommodate the German Easter Bunny on top of the local one that of course visits our house (nor the treats it might bring), as we’re expected at the in-laws out in the country. So, I guess this year the German Easter Bunny will drop by our house while we’re enjoying fresh country air and leave each of them a German book I’ve got stashed away in my closet they will discover when we get back. We don’t normally give stuff at Easter since the house is already bursting at the seams, but we sure won’t need any more treats once we come back from the in-laws – so a German book seems to be a good compromise.

It won’t be as much fun as a real visit from the German Easter Bunny, of course, but I don’t want to let this tradition die just yet, as Punk 1 especially has been getting so much motivation out of these visits. She often expresses sadness for kids she knows who don't speak German and hence don't get this benefit, or comments on her own abilities in German or how lucky she is to be speaking German. This really does work for her, so we've got to do something to keep it alive!