Towns Ask Parents to Leave Egg Hunts to the Kids

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Local officials are hoping to tamp down the intensity of what used to be a low-key family activity -- the Easter egg hunt. 

Over the past decade or so, town officials  say they've noticed increasing parental involvement in the town egg hunts.. Last weekend, an easter egg hunt in  Easthampton, Massachusetts led to angry words -- and worse -- between parents and organizers, according to the Easthampton community center's facebook page. The Northampton recreation department is holding its egg hunt this saturday (april 7), and while assistant director Shelby Michna says they've never considered cancelling the event, they have noticed parents becoming more aggressive to make sure their children get eggs.

Michna thinks the economy has something to do with that.

"My personal theory is that parents, when they're with their kids, want their kids to have everything because they don't have as much time to spend with their kids as they used to, because they're working long hours."

Used to be, she says, that everyone was happy with one or two pieces of candy inside a plastic egg, and now parents seem to expect a mound of prizes.  She says organizers plan to distribute handouts and  make announcements to remind parents that the egg hunt is a kid-event. She says recreation staff members put out 12,000 eggs every year -- and roam the fields with extra eggs in their pockets to make sure every child gets a prize.