I thought I'd post the text from a press release we're putting out for Mothers Day. (yes, dads, it's only two weeks away!) I'd be interested in knowing what you all thought...
Happy Mothers Day, stop saying “yes.” Being a mom can be very rewarding, but it can also be very stressful. These days, more and more mothers are suffering the effects of stress and depletion. One of the major causes for this, says Parenting Consultant Todd Sarner, is that eager to please moms are saying yes so often to their children that they are burning themselves out.
Sarner says “I tell mothers to get very clear on when they have a ‘yes’ inside and when they have a ‘no’.” He also says that when we don’t tell our kids no sometimes that our yes’ have less meaning. “We want our children to feel like what we give them is coming from a place of generosity and love, not just out of obligation or to make them behave.”
According to Sarner, saying “yes” all the time to our children cannot only leave a mother feeling tired and resentful, it can also keep kids from developing a key aspect of maturity. “Kids need to experience not getting what they want so they learn how to adapt to the things in their lives that don’t work or don’t go their way. The safest way for them to learn this is with their parents.”
His advice is that mothers should practice setting limits and saying no to their children in a way that is both firm and compassionate. But he also acknowledges that this isn’t always easy. “It can take a while for parents to find the right balance, but it’s worth it if we can help our kids grow up while also taking care of ourselves.”
