I read a post a while back about loosening up on some of our perfectionism and allowing our kids to just be kids. I realized that I say “No” a lot to Julia.

“No, you may not have that cookie.”

“No, you may not touch the that.”

“No, you may not turn the faucet on and off.”

Etc, etc, etc.

Even as I type this, we’re sitting in the car, preparing to go to the State Fair and I just said “No.” Julia just discovered the garage door opener and began pressing the button, watching the door close, then open, then close, then open. I started to take it away, when I thought “What harm is it really? What’s the big deal?” There are still ground rules, she must obey, cheerfully, even when I say “No.” For example, the keys are always off limits, since we have an alarm and the little red panic button is just too much temptation. “No” isn’t bad, it helps her learn boundaries, self-control, patience, but sometimes “No” is more for my convenience and less for her own good. But, for today, I’m going to try saying “Yes” more. Let Julia just be a toddler, exploring her world, learning about new things and realizing that mama will say “Yes” just as often as I say “No.”