How to have your own 'Yes Day' (and come out the other side unscathed)
Jennifer Garner recently slept in a tent in her garden with her kids.
Why? Because she was having a Yes Day.
A day when you say yes to most – if not all – of your kids’ requests.
Whether it’s eating dinner in front of the telly, wearing your pyjamas to the shops or eating ice cream out of the tub, if your kid asks you to do it, you do it (within reason obviously!).
As parents, it’s so easy to say no. “No, you can’t wear those trousers”; “no, you can’t start painting”; “no, you can’t have your friends over.”
No, no, no, no, no.
But it’s good to say yes to things every now and then. To not think about the hassle or the embarrassment or your lack of energy.
So how does it work?
Firstly, decide which day of the week is best to have the Yes Day. A Saturday or Sunday is likely to work better because at least then they can’t ask for a note not to do their homework!
Decide how many requests you’ll agree to; too many and you know they’ll just go wild. Too few, and they’ll wonder if you even mean it. Two or three yes should be enough, and one big one.
Let loose. If you’re not going to immerse yourself in the day then there is no point in doing it.
And if you're worried about what your child's requests will be, you can always go for a Yes Hour rather than a full on day…
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