Say Yes (Bonus printable art)

I made a shift about two years ago now. I started saying 'yes' more to my children. There are so many times a day that their little growing, learning, pushing-boundaries selves hear the word 'no' - for their safety and for learning how our family does things (like saying 'no' to buying unnecessary things).

So I started to really stop and think about the things I was saying 'no' to. If it was purely because it would inconvenience me or had a selfish motive, I started saying 'yes' instead.

YES, you can bring two fistfuls of hot wheels into the store.

YES, we can read books via flashlight.

YES, I will put down what I'm doing and build with you.

YES, you can help me.

It seems so small but it became such a big change. I started to see their little hearts and personalities in the things they were asking. I vowed to myself to always say 'yes' when they asked me to play with them because I know a day will come where they'll stop asking.

YES, you can eat like a dinosaur.

YES, we can have cereal for dinner.

YES, you can wear that.

YES, you can have that friend over after school.

I watched myself start delighting in saying 'yes' verses mindlessly saying 'maybe' or 'in a minute' and then never doing it. It takes a conscious effort but it's changed me from my natural bent to do things the easy/convenient way.

It's been almost two years that I've been consciously practicing this and it still takes effort but I want my boys to remember me delighting in them and what a joy it is to be their mother.

YES, we can make cookies.

YES, I'll chase you on your bike.

YES, I want to build Legos with you.

YES, you can get muddy.

Josh is naturally so much better at this than me. And I think it's an easy thing to lose sight of when you stay home with kids all day. Atleast, for me it is.

So I created this art print for my house as a reminder and I want to share it with you if it resonates with you, too!

Click here to download.

I hope this encourages you, like it does me. And there is NO shame on those days where we need to say a few extra no's for our own sanity. It's all grace, mamas.