Yes Day

 

After seeing My Little Poppies‘ post about having a “Yes Day,” I checked out the source of inspiration from the library.

The premise? There’s one day a year that Mom and Dad can’t say no.  At all.

The book doesn’t involve any outlandish requests for ponies or trips to Disneyland, but pizza for breakfast, piggyback rides, and having a friend over.

It’s those kind of simple requests I almost automatically nix because they involve a little work on my part.

Ouch.

A Yes Day seems like a great way to hit all the unchecked items on the summer bucket list, to celebrate the start of a new school year, and spend quality time as a family.  We wanted to try it.

David cautioned me before introducing it to the kids, “Whatever you give as examples they will take as suggestions.”  Don’t mention staying up until midnight or ice cream for every meal.  Check.

After reading the book as a family, we talked over some general guidelines – – No matter how much I might want to, I can’t give them the moon or get them to Ireland.  They seemed to understand that we have to say “Yes” to anything reasonable.

My kids are really reasonable when they aren’t completely irrational.

We added one last stipulation: they have to agree.  This isn’t Cee’s Yes Day or Elle’s Yes Day.  It’s The Kids’ Yes Day.

Cee started a list, and Elle finished it up:

In case you didn’t major in kiddish, here’s the translation:

Cee’s list
pancakes for breakfast
pizza for lunch
sandwiches for supper
swim at Jeff and Trudy’s

Elle’s additions
play outside
play games
pick raspberries
go to the park
love Mom and Dad

We tackled most the items on the list.  There were a few spontaneous requests throughout the day as well.

• I played legos with Michael.
• I took all the kids to the grocery store.  This never happens.  If you can imagine taking Amish kids to a modern grocery store, that’s pretty much how our trip went as far as the level of excitement and amazement.  “Ooh!  Look at all that cereal!  What’s that?  What’s this?  Look how many kinds of apples there are!  Wow!” 
• We watched a movie.
• We made ice cream for dessert.
  

The highlight of the day was going swimming as a family at a neighbor’s pool.  For the sake of Yes Day, I walked through town in a swimsuit.  If that’s not love and sacrifice, I don’t know what is.  We were so busy with the kids in the pool that for better or worse, we didn’t take a single picture.

I learned an important lesson with Yes Day, though.  What my kids want, more than anything- – is to spend time as a family.  I’m home with them all day, but that doesn’t mean we’re necessarily spending time together.  Whether it’s reading, playing at the park, or swimming, my kids like having my time an attention.

It would be easier to just buy them a pony.  Seriously.

There’s.  Just.  So.  Much.  To. Do.  How can I pencil in lego time, being wolves, or playing ladies?  Honestly, I fear we will run out of clean underwear and end up eating nothing but whole unpeeled carrots if I say yes to their requests.

Well- – after one day we still had clothes and relatively nutritious food.  Maybe it’s not quite as hard as I imagine, this yes business.

When my kids look back at their childhood, they are probably going to remember Yes Day.  They might remember “that time I had no clean pajamas in my drawer,” too, but if the laundry didn’t get done because we were building a city across the dining room table with blocks together, they’ll probably forgive me pretty quickly.

Yes.