Day 24: Say Yes (Even When You Don't Want To)

I'm a homebody.  But I'm also a stay-at-home mom with two kids to raise into productive and well-adjusted members of society.  And they don't like to stay at home all the time.  My friend is taking a Yoga for Kids class, and needed to recruit some kids in different age groups to participate in some demo classes.  She asked me if I would be interested in taking my kids there.  Of course my kids couldn't be in the same class because of their age difference, so that meant two separate days of driving way out to the west end of the city and back.

I wanted to say no.  I'm in the middle of a creative surge and just wanted to stay home and write.  And I needed to do the laundry.  And paint some walls.  And cook dinner.  I was about to say no.

But then I remembered how much fun my kids had copying my yoga, and I knew they would love the classes.  So, with great internal reluctance, I gave up my plans, made sure Kevin would be ok with having dinner a little later than normal, and said yes.

My kids had so much fun at the classes.  Even though we forgot to take Juli's extra-cozy socks off so they flapped around her toes for the whole time.  They got to pretend to be sharks and frogs and turtles and puppies...  I'm so glad we said yes.

I know I can't say yes to everything.  But I need to remember that being part of a family (especially the mom) means I often have to give up my plans and consider someone else's interests.  And it's ok.  I'll get my turn, like last night when I sat in bed with the laptop, my husband sleeping beside me, and hammered out 532 words. in a novel I'm working on.

Day One: 31 Days to Real-Life Relationships
Day Two: Be a Good Hostess
Day Three: The Cultivate Family Friendships Challenge
Day Four: The Book Club Bench
Day Five: The Ask-a-Friend-for-Help Challenge
Day Six: The Do-Something-Scary-with-a-Friend Challenge
Day Seven: The Most Important Relationship
Day Eight: Be Thankful in Relationships
Day Nine: Girls' Night!
Day Ten: Accept Offers from Others (No Guilt Allowed!)
Day Eleven: How to Make Friends
Day Twelve: A Pleasant Home
Day Thirteen: A Different View of Birthday Cards
Day Fourteen: Laugh Together
Day Fifteen: The Plan-A-Family-Outing Challenge
Day Sixteen: The Smile Challenge
Day Seventeen: Get Enough Alone Time
Day Eighteen: The Power of an Apology
Day Nineteen: Give Your Time
Day Twenty: Mail Letters to Friends and Family

Day Twenty-one: Families Should Cuddle!

Day Twenty-two: Embarrassing Moments

Day Twenty-three: Confidence

Find other 31-day series' here