Janet Christie's Mum's the Word - don't dodge family events

Easter, it’s long gone and you think you’ve successfully dodged it and any related arranging/organising/shopping/baking/planning because your children are adults and should be satisfied with being lobbed a chocolate rabbit whenever you chance upon them in passing. But no.

“Are you free for an Easter egg hunt today,” says Youngest Child, texting from her second home at Other Parent’s.

“Easter’s past. I’m working, it’s Thursday and it’s raining. Aw, what a shame,” I say.

“Well, it’s Scotland, what do you expect? Put your parka on,” she says. “And you’re taking a lunch break. We’ll collect you.”

“I can’t, I’ve got a deadline,” I try again, adding Easter Egg Hunt to the stockpile of parent guilt I’ve built up over the years by missed child-related events or falling short.

This mountain includes: “Remember when you sent me to Brownie camp in wellies two sizes too small and you had to cut them off me when I got back,” and “Remember how Eldest used to collect me from school and give me a lift home on the front handlebars of his bike, on the roads, so fast, so fun,” Shudder. Guilt, it goes with the territory.

“But you did an Egg Hunt on Easter I say,” that parent box being ticked when the hotel we stayed in over the holiday to catch up with family had a trail set out for the kiddies.

Cue Youngest setting off in hot pursuit of her wee cousin, both clutching dinky raffia baskets and heading for the revolving doors which several members of my extended family had already managed to get themselves trapped in. After being freed by staff there was some ‘quiet time’ in a bedroom where all ages played a game with an inflatable rabbit and there was a quiz and group singing. (I blame too much sugar).

“Yes, that’s where I got inspiration for the clues,” says Youngest. “I’ve amended them for us. The boys are coming. We’ll collect you.”

So they did, and the lunchtime rain wasn’t that heavy, Middle and Youngest didn’t kick each other that much, and with Eldest there too, all my little eggs were in one basket which makes me smile.

But the best bit was I stole a march on next year by pocketing all of Youngest’s clues. Family celebrations? I’ve got this, and next year I’ll be ready.