Just Say Yes

By Nora Heston Tarte

Have you ever heard of Yes Day, the one day a year that can compete with Christmas, where parents answer every child’s request with yes?

It’s a concept that was made popular by New York Times best-selling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who wrote the family book Yes Day! Jennifer Garner recently brought more attention to the story with her viral social media posts about her family’s own annual Yes Day celebration.

So how do you celebrate Yes Day in your home? The concept is simple but these ground rules might help.

  • Set rules ahead of time to keep Yes Day fun but not out-of-control. Rules can include no asking for expensive toys, eating candy all day, or doing something dangerous.
  • For younger kids, consider keeping Yes Day a secret. They may never figure out why you were so agreeable that day but results will still be enjoyable.
  • Let loose. Letting your kids call the shots for 24-hours can be stressful, but try to embrace the day. You may find that thing you kept saying no too wasn’t so bad after all.