Why Normal’s Not Enough for Me

Yesterday I casually asked my son, “What do you think the Easter Bunny might have you do to find your Easter basket this year?”

He didn’t even pause, “Maybe crack a safe.”

Thinks for a little while. “Or you know those business suitcases?”

“A briefcase?”

“Yeah! Maybe I’ll have to crack letters, numbers and a key lock.”

“Like Houdini?!”

“Yeah.”

“What if the Easter Bunny just left your Easter Basket?” Pause, no response. “What if he left your basket without a hunt?”

“That would be sad.”

Yes, it would be.

Activities like this year’s elaborate GPS egg hunt may appear to be Super Mom-like. They might make you roll your eyes and wonder why I can’t just throw candy in a basket and be done with it like the rest of you. Maybe you think it’s over the top and unnecessary. Me? I think about what Easter and other holidays would be or wouldn’t be without dreaming up these crazy fun things.

• I wouldn’t be teaching our son to believe in the power of creativity, the power of creating his own magic. The world can be magical if you make it so, but it’s only as magical as you make it.
• P would be missing out on some great real life learning and problem solving skills.
• Boredom. We wouldn’t be (necessarily) spending quality time together. Whether it’s Christmas, Easter or Halloween, we’d be sitting in front of the TV eating sugar. So (commercially) fun. <<< Insert sarcasm here.
• He (and I) wouldn’t push ourselves to be creative and innovative. I’d have to find a new hobby. I enjoy creating these challenges. I’d really miss them if we decided to go “normal”.

Whether it’s a wacky egg hunt for Easter or Elf on the Shelf fun at Christmas, I don’t create these activities to make anyone feel bad, make myself look good or to fill my website. I create these activities because I like to create them. And if it means my son has an abnormally interesting childhood, becomes a lifelong outside-the-box thinker and never settles for normal, more the better.

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