You'll want to try the "Yes Half Hour" after reading this mom's experience

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posted in Parenting

In response to actress Jennifer Garner posting on Instagram about the “Yes Day” she had with her kids, one mom has tested out a more feasible concept: The “Yes Half Hour.”

Amy Betters-Midtvedt — a mom of five from Appleton, Wisconsin — tried out this abbreviated version with her 6-year-old son, Sam, because theoretically, the Yes Half Hour wouldn’t lead to bankruptcy, nor would it result in a Yes Day hangover like Gardner’s. It seems like the perfect compromise.

“He is most likely to get lost in the shuffle and had been begging to buy some spooky Halloween decorations,” Betters-Midtvedt told BabyCenter by email. “I said yes and watched his eyes light up. When we were shopping, I made the decision to live like Jen (clearly we’re BFFs so I call her Jen in my head…ha!) and say nothing but yes to him for the half-hour shopping trip.”

On Oct. 9, the Hiding in the Closet with Coffee blogger went for it. And she shared the results on her Facebook page, along with a photo.

As she explained in her post, Betters-Midtvedt dedicated Sam’s Yes Half Hour to shopping for Halloween decorations at Walmart — with some parameters. She had told him about their adventure before school on Monday morning to get him excited about it, and they also discussed the budget and what items would be a priority.

“He was beside himself with joy when he came out of school,” Betters-Midtvedt wrote on Facebook. “And as we pulled up to the store he asked if he could pick out a scary dinner too. I said yes. And decided I was going to say yes to whatever he wanted as we shopped as long as it was within reason. The joy in this kid the whole time we were shopping was awesome.”

She said yes to mummy hotdogs, two kinds of Doritos, Halloween-themed mini soda cans and an army guy Halloween costume. As well as: French toast gaels, strawberry cream cheese and “those annoying string spider webs that will never come out of my bushes.”

“Yes to him…my boy,” she wrote. “He was a gem the whole time and felt like a million dollars walking into the house and getting cheers from the big kids for the awesome dinner he picked out … He felt heard and proud and loved being in charge.”

Now, Betters-Midtvedt says she plans on carrying out a surprise Yes Half Hour with each of her four older kiddos. And she encourages other parents to consider giving it a try, too.

“Here’s to the YES HALF HOUR my friends,” she concluded in her Facebook post. “It can happen anywhere and any time. You don’t have to be a planner or a millionaire and I’m guessing you’ll be a little less tired afterward then our friend Jen looked to be. We can all rock the yes for a half hour and the look on our kids faces will make us feel cooler than a Hollywood mom (I’m guessing).”

I love this idea! (Although, to be completely honest, I think I’d opt for carrying out a Yes Half Hour at a dollar store instead. Because mama’s cheap.) During the crazy school/work week, sometimes I feel like all my kids hear from me is “no.”

“No, we can’t go to Chuck E. Cheese today.”

“No, you can’t have candy for a snack.”

“No, I’m not buying you a toy; all we need to get right now is milk.”

“Sorry, I can’t play a game with you right now. Mommy has to work.”

Even though it’s perfectly reasonable for me to turn down these never-ending requests, the “nos” add up quickly. And so does the mommy guilt. I do make an effort to say “yes” more often on the weekend. But still. Having one-on-one time with each of my kids for 30 minutes  — without having to actually say “yes” all day long — seems like the perfect way to make their day without breaking the bank. I’m in!

Images used with permission from Amy Betters-Midtvedt

The post You'll want to try the "Yes Half Hour" after reading this mom's experience appeared first on BabyCenter Blog.