The Easter Egg Complex...
The Easter Bunny brings plastic eggs filled with change to our house...which is much loved by my children(such a smart bunny!) And one special egg with "paper" money. He usually leaves a small gift- a craft or a book that the kids can play with after the "hunt". Many years they take turns re-hiding the eggs and hunting again. Oh please...don't feel bad for my children that they are not showered with chocolate bunnies and eggs. They get those as well just not in a way that encourages them to view mini eggs as a "one time only food that they must over eat today because they won't see it again until next year".
The picture attached to this post is a bag of "Eggies" I let my 8yr old scoop at Bulk Barn. I let her decide how much needed to be purchased and did so without comment. Those eggs were purchased over 2 weeks ago and there are about 60% of them left. (Side note: We LOVE Eggies- all 4 of us) No we did not hide them, no we did not say- you must wait until Easter. They have been sitting in plain view for 2 weeks and when someone wants some they ask. In all honesty I have probably eaten the most...not that I am counting them.
I do this because I want to teach my kids to check in with themselves, eat the chocolate eggs when they truly want them and in quantities that they find serves them well. I want to use this time to teach my kids intuitive eating around "treat" food. I asked my 5 yr old how many he would like one day and he said " 5 because that's my age plus one because I am a bit more hungry than 5".
How perfect...by his analogy I get 39...but that is way too many for me at one time. I find by the 5th or 6th one they don't taste as yummy as the first couple. By taking the time to check in with myself and noticing the tastes and sensations of eating the chocolate I feel satisfied after a few also knowing that I will be able to eat them again.
I would challenge anyone to take the time to enjoy the treats that come your way this year. Do you actually want it or are you eating it because you think it will only be here today? Do you feel satisfied with the portion you have or would more or less be better? Is this actually what you want? Personally peanut M&M's trump all in my world and I will choose those over a cream egg any day. So if there are peanut M&M's I will definitely eat some....random bowl of foil covered chocolate eggs are a no for me because I don't enjoy them.
By taking the power away from food we can improve our relationship with it. Chocolate is just that...chocolate. Try eating it unapologetically and see what happens....
until next time be Unapologetically you while I be Unapologetically me
