“a BB gun, you’ll shoot your eye out”

Rock Rob and I had to employ just such a technique on Easter a few years ago. We always do the Easter egg-hunting and basket-finding after church on Easter morning, because getting them all gooped up on chocolate isn’t conducive to good behavior at mass. Our leverage has always been that the Easter Bunny (and Santa) keep a careful watch on their behavior all the way to the last minute. This particular year, they were little monsters at church. Because we are the type to judge parents on their reaction to their kids’ behavior, Rob and I knew we had to follow through on our threat. So Rob snuck home early and undid all of our Easter doings. Later in the day, the Easter Bunny made a late arrival, but they have never forgotten that day. We didn’t feel nearly as bad as we probably should have, watching them go from excitement, to cautiously impressed at the Easter Bunny’s extreme hiding skills, to shock and finally acceptance. It was kind of funny in a really mean way. But they learned. I’m not sure I could do the same thing on Christmas, though.