My wife and I had taken our two young boys for a week away at a holiday park. While we were there, we saw an Easter-egg hunt being advertised, and thought it would be fun to go along. 

While it was enjoyable and the boys loved searching for eggs, the enthusiastic event leader kept repeating—almost to the point of being pushy—that “Easter is all about the chocolate eggs.”

After the egg hunt, my wife whispered to me, “We’re going to need to do some damage control after this!”

We are active in teaching our kids about who Jesus is and what Easter is all about. 

But at this time of the year, there’s a lot of “noise” from the world saying something different. 

Rather than focusing on what’s so wrong with the world’s message, we focus on what the truth is, without over-complicating the matter.

The shops, advertisements, and even holiday park staff shout at us that to have a good Easter, we’ve got to buy all the right foods and stuff ourselves full of chocolate. 

The message is all about having fun; and it is certainly persuasive.

After the Easter egg hunt, we asked our five-year-old, “Do you remember what Easter is really all about?”

“Oh yes,” he said enthusiastically. “The chocolate eggs, of course!”

The world’s messaging about Easter is so attractive that after one quick Easter egg hunt, our eldest son had seemingly forgotten everything else we’d been teaching him about Jesus. 

It’s the same battle for all parents at Easter time. 

So, how do we fight back against the persuasive, distracting noise all around us and help our kids hear the truth well?

Don’t Get Downhearted

First of all, confession time: that wasn’t the only time we’ve asked our five-year-old what he thinks of Easter. And it’s not the only time his answer has revolved around chocolate. 

It is tempting to despair, lecture him, or get frustrated when this happens. 

But sometimes, we need to take a step back and recognise again just how enticing the world’s messaging is about Easter. 

Food and fun—could there be anything less offensive and more appealing to children?

The world’s messaging about Easter is so attractive that after one quick Easter egg hunt, our eldest son had seemingly forgotten everything else we’d been teaching him about Jesus.

Our eldest son is still very young, and so all of his life choices are generally determined by his tummy! His daily routine is shaped by when he next gets to eat. 

As his dad, I think it’s important to not make him feel bad about this. He is just being a five-year-old; they’re naturally excited by chocolate. 

Becoming negative about Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, and big Easter dinners will probably not pave the way for more meaningful Easter conversations.

I’m not saying we don’t need to do anything at all, but perhaps we need to be careful not to become reactionary because we’re disheartened by how easily the world’s messaging distracts our kids. 

Thinking Easter is all about eggs doesn’t mean they have forgotten Jesus, but that the simple, powerful marketing around them has got their attention.

Keep It Simple

Our way to keep redirecting our kids back to Jesus is to keep our messaging about Easter simple. 

The death and resurrection of Jesus is the very centre of our faith. And, there is so much to explore and understand that it can be tempting to pump our kids full of information, teaching, and Bible knowledge. 

I know there will be a time for more in-depth discussions about what Jesus really achieved on the cross and what the evidence is for His resurrection. 

Our boys are bound to have questions as they grow older. 

But for now, with their young ages, we’re trying to keep things simple and to the point. It feels like the best way to cut through the world’s noise more effectively. To some extent, we’re imitating the Apostle Paul when he wrote:

“What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

It is a simple, straightforward three-point message: “Christ died for our sins”, “He was buried”, and “He was raised on the third day”. 

Rather than focusing on what’s so wrong with the world’s message, we focus on what the truth is, without over-complicating the matter. 

Our prayer is that as our boys grow, and as we keep Jesus at the centre of Easter (and our lives in general), their understanding of Him and curiosity for Him will grow. 

We can’t turn off the world’s view of Easter and we can’t shut our boys at home until it passes each year—and I’m not sure it is right to withhold the yearly treat of chocolate eggs. 

But we can, with gentleness, compassion, and prayer, keep the main thing the main thing at home.