Saying No.....

Is it just me or is parenting so much more challenging now compared to when we were kids. There's so much more to say No to.
Growing up things were so much simpler. My sis and I derived so much pleasure from the simple things. Our mischievous experiments and just hanging out with our friends.
There's a danger out there, clear and present, and we can't bury our heads in the sands... we are not Ostriches. From the media to technology, from strangers in our midst to even the friendlies (yes the enemies are within as well). This is not a call to raise our children in an atmosphere of fear, This is a call to encourage us to keep on saying No. It's tough not to be the 'cool' parent, the 'nice' parent, but every time they give you that dirty look, just remember you are saying No from a place of Love. This is also a call to seek knowledge, information, wisdom... whether we care to admit it or not, what we know determines how we will react in certain situations. As parents, we never want to admit to our kids that we don't have all the answers, but we can admit it to ourselves, that we are figuring this thing out as we go along. So when your son or daughter asks you something you don't know, you can just simply say you know what, I don't have the answer but why don't we figure this thing out together.

Part of saying No is being the bad guy 
My kids got a balloon at a major shopping mall in Ikeja, and like all kids they started tossing it around and chasing it. At the back of my mind I saw the possibility of the balloon floating into the car park and the possibility of them chasing it right to the front of a moving car. I had to burst the balloon  I didn't feel good about it but I knew that one burst balloon would not 'scar' them for live, but one silly mistake could get them injured.

So as we celebrate both the International Women  Day and Mothering Sunday ... Here's a toast to the women in my life that never stopped saying No, Yes or Let's Figure it Out Together!