Yes!

One word that young children learn very quickly is the word NO.  As parents there are so many dangers that we feel we need to protect our children from, and so many values that we need to teach them.  Some days  it seems like we are always saying the No word to the kids. "No, you can't play outside right now."  "No you can't touch the stove when it's hot."  "No, you can't eat cookies before dinner."  "No, it's too cold to wear shorts and flip flops."    "No, you can't go and play until your homework and chores are done."

As a mother I easily tired of saying no, so would try to find things that I could say YES to.   " Yes, you can play inside with the Legos."   "Yes, we can bake cookies after we eat our lunch."   "Yes, we can go out and build a snowman after we put on our snow pants and coats and gloves and boots."  "Yes, I can help you study your spelling words."  "Yes, you did do a wonderful job setting the table!"

Am I a perfect mother?  Of course not.   Did I always find the positive way to present things and look at things?   No, I'm afraid not.

 Do I love being a mother?  Am I proud of each of my six kids?  Absolutely and positively YES and YES!