Why Not?

Lately I've been trying to be a better mother.

{That's a never ending struggle, isn't it?}

One of the things I'm trying is a new parenting technique.

I call it my Why Not? technique.

When Tempe and Helena ask me to do something, I ask myself why not?

Will it destroy something?

Will it hurt someone?

Then why not?

Often, the only thing holding me back from saying yes to my children is that I don't feel like cleaning up clutter or I think I'm too busy to take the time. I'm trying to change that and say yes as often as possible. Of course there are times that I have to say no--sometimes dinner is on the stove and I can't come play with Tempe's family of rocks, or sometimes Helena wants to paint the wall in her bedroom because she saw me paint the wall in my bedroom. But I'm trying to limit my "No's" to times where something could get destroyed (destroyed, not merely messy) or someone could get hurt.

Children have so many restrictions (and they only increase as they get older). Why not say yes to them a little more often?