Photo by Suzette Hibble
The other day I was chatting with a friend and she was complaining that whenever she sees her niece all she remembers from the experience is lack of cooperation and a seeming mantra of “No! No! No!” Her sister follows her niece around asking questions like “how about this?” or “what about that?” And the constant refrain is, “no, no, no.”
Wow, can I relate. I do not enjoy hearing “no” so in my work with kids I’ve learned some great strategies to avoid and get around the “no.” And then at other times, I’ve chosen to accept the no by tuning in to the yes behind the no. If you think about it, there’s always something we’re saying yes to, and often it’s related to the thing we’re saying no to. For instance, when I say no to a candy bar, I’m saying yes to my health and well-being.
