“Yes” ….such a small little word but it’s so powerful.
It has the ability to turn a miserable day into a brilliant day. A sad face into a happy face.
And yet, so often I find myself saying ‘no’.
Often before the children have finished their request, I’ve already said no.
It is my default answer and sometimes said before I’ve even thought about it.
To counteract this, and as part of my aspiration to embrace the Magic in my children’s world, I’m reintroducing ‘Yes Days’.
We do these usually during the holidays and the rule is that on Yes Days, any reasonable request gets a ‘yes’.
The kids love these days and often surprise me with how simple their requests are.
Something as simple as a hot chocolate after school can change the way the evening goes.
A walk in the mountains, when we should be rushing home to start dinner, can reveal a whole host of stories that you would never otherwise get to hear.
It’s definitely easier during the holidays when time is on your side. But I think that some Yes Days are needed this time of the year also.
Of course the normal things like homework and chores still have to be done, but amazingly, they are done quicker, and better on a Yes Day.
So go on, give it a try….it’s such a lovely break from saying no.
I’d love to hear how you get on.
This post was inspired by the lovely Aisling at BabySteps please click to see some other Mindful Parenting Posts.
Completely agree. Why is it that such a little word can be so hard to say?
I think at times it just becomes a habit….no means we stay where we are but yes takes us out of our comfort zone. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love the idea of 'yes' days, I do try to practise 'why not?', so every question the children ask I think 'why not?' before answering them, it definitely results in more yes's then no's! Thanks for taking part. 🙂
I'm a "Yes, if you do X first," kind of Mum 🙂
Love this idea. Just another exercise is being mindful, which is always a good thing!