How I Told My Kid the Easter Bunny Isn't Real
Our full conversation, plus detailed notes.
TGIF, everyone! My fun news of the week is that Jesse Royal, the keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for Maroon 5, shared on Instagram that he loves my book. Bestselling author Ryan Holiday, of The Daily Stoic podcast, also shared my book this week as one of nine books all parents should read. Hooray!!!
I know you appreciate when I share scripts of discussions I’ve had with my kids on challenging topics, so today I’m sharing the conversation I had with my 8-year-old three days ago about the Easter Bunny. Yes, it was *that* conversation, when I finally told her the truth. Which, if I’m honest, made me a little sad… it’s hard to let go of the magic, even as a parent.
In addition to sharing the conversation, I’m also sharing my rationale for what I said at each point, as well as how I interpreted her answers. But I want to be clear that my responses don’t represent the “right” way to do it. When, how and if you have this conversation with your kid will depend on you, your child, and the circumstances.
Also: If you want more on the topic, check out this newsletter from a while back in which I interviewed research psychologist Candice Mills about how children think about Santa Claus and and how they feel about eventually learning the truth — the research likely applies to the Easter Bunny, too.
Okay, here goes.