My Yes Lesson..

I attended a most lovely Super Saturday in which I learned how non-peaceful of a mother I was. “Peaceful Mothering”, ah, sounds so delightful, right?  Jonelle, who IS a peaceful mother (no effort needed), gave me some hope that I could change my ways and that it’s not too late… well, maybe. One thing she shared was a quote that I decided would be my first step in peaceful mothering.

"I learned that I needed to trust my children, so I tried to never say no if I could possibly say yes." Marjorie Hinckley

That’s it! For one whole day I will say YES to everything!

I came home and told my loving husband that for one whole day I was going to say yes to everything my kids asked. I think his response was mostly laughter and then, “Wait, does that count for me to?”

“No!”

I could tell that I was off to a great start.

Sunday morning was my practice round.

“Mom, do I have to wake up so early?”

“Yes!”

Piece of cake people, piece of cake.

“Can I have Fruit Loops for breakfast?”

“Yes!”

“Can I have Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks combined?”

“Yes!”

I must defend myself here. Smiths had a sale on cereal so we had a few fun cereals stocked in the pantry. I am working on peaceful mothering, not healthy mothering, ok? Geez!

But really, the day was starting off very peaceful.

When we came home from church, it became a little more difficult. I was also very surprised how many questions I am asked in a day. I never noticed it before, maybe because I am always saying no and it was automatically stored in my mother- memory-chip. No! No! No!

“Mom, can we watch a movie?”

“Yes….but let’s watch a church video?”

See what I did there?  I said yes and then got a little creative on making sure it all went my way. I’m so clever.

“Can we have popcorn?”

“Can we play Battleship?”

“Can I please have some cheese on my potato?”

“Can you get off my blanket?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Honesty Moment: I really liked this new way of thinking. I was feeling all the positive energy flowing through my bones. All was good peaceful, until my kids figured out what was happening.

“Mom, if you are saying yes to everything then can I go outside and play?” (remember it’s Sunday)”Or can you take us bowling?”

“Yes! Next year we will do that on a day other then Sunday.”

“Mom will you buy us anything we want?”

“Yes, but you’ll have to ask your father.” I know mean to do to John but what was I to do, I was a peaceful mother in training.

“Mom will you give us all your money so we can buy all the Lego’s at Target?” Obviously, they have no idea mom and dad aren’t rich. I’m ok with that.

I was being mocked!

I was trying to be a peaceful mother and apparently that is funny around here.

“Fine kids, you think you’re so funny. I will now say NO to everything. Now let’s see who is laughing”

(Blank faces)

“Mom…. “

“NO!”

So Jonelle, I tried, I really did. I was mocked in my own home. You should feel so bad for me.

However, I did not give up, I am still continuing my peaceful mothering journey. I just had to make a small change to bullet point #2 Say yes more often to say no more often and added #4 Be consistent.

I am happy to report that I am consistently saying NO! and my kids have stopped asking me questions. It is quite peaceful now, I never thought it would work for me but it has. So thank you, thank you, thank you!!

With Lots of Love and Peace,

Kathy

a Peaceful Mother in Training (almost an expert really)