Something I've been working on is letting my children enjoy life and creativity when it's unplanned. In other words, I've been working on saying "YES" a little bit more.
This doesn't mean that our rules have gone by the waste side. I'm constantly working on keeping firm boundaries as I know how important rules are to build structure and confidence within our children. Forks are for eating, couches are for sitting, etc. The same rules apply, but I'm open to creative activities that I feel also build my child's self-esteem and confidence, as well as discovery.
One example of saying "YES" happened recently. It was really gloomy outside, but Caden wanted to have a picnic. He brought his bedspread down to the living room and said, "Mom, let's have a picnic!" I responded, "Why, YES, let's do!" It was so much fun and I'm pretty sure the kids ate a lot more than they usually do. Our lunch was filled with giggles and fun. Memories I will hold dear forever.
Another recent example of saying YES is when we made our finger paint valentines. We hadn't finger painted in a long time and it quickly turned into a body paint festival. The kids were having so much fun and not hurting themselves, anyone else or anything so how could I stop it?
Do you make a conscience effort to say YES to your children, or do you like to play by the book? I realize we all have different parenting styles, but I feel like we can learn from one another. What works for one family may not work for another. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas and philosophies on the matter of saying "YES."
Monday, March 12, 2012
Being a "YES" Mom
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2 comments:
Thank you for posting this Deb! Just remember this as they get older too. I had found myself instantly saying 'No.' to things that my teens wanted to do. I mainly would say no because usually it meant more work for me, or a change in the schedule, or just because. But Matt and I had a good conversation about them and that they really ARE great kids, and really is it asking that much. SO, I'm working on this too. Even if I'm not sure and I most likely will say no, I always try to say, "let's talk about it", then we'll see. Usually it ends up being yes, and if it will be no, at least it's not flying out of my mouth as an immediate "NO!"
I love it, Wendy! Thank you for sharing. And thanks for the reminder that this doesn't just apply to wee ones and toddlers. :)
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