Susan Newman, PhD, author of several parenting books, had a good article on the net titled, "Learning to Say No". In it she gives a questinnaire to see if you're a "yes" mom instead of one who always gives in to children's demands. You can read the rest of the article by clicking on the link.
Are You a Yes-Mom?
If three of these sounds vaguely like you, it’s likely that your children turn you into a yes-person quite easily. It’s time to take stock and learn how to say no.
- Your living room looks like a toy store.
- At any given hour the couch doubles as a trampoline, a wrestling mat, a hiding place or arts and crafts center.
- Your child wears his Halloween costume to school in February.
- You’re on a first-name basis with the workers at McDonald’s.
- Your child has everything her best friend has.
- Your six-year-old stays up so late that he can fill you in on Jay Leno’s monologue from the night before.
- Your daughter’s last birthday party was more elaborate than your wedding.
- You have three dogs, two kittens, and a parakeet who all hang out around the fish tank.
- You spend most Saturday evenings in the movie theatre parking lot waiting for your children and their friends.
- You spend Sunday evenings writing history reports and crafting science projects you found out about during dinner.
- The text messaging charges are bigger than your monthly cell phone fee.
- Your child’s band equipment takes up both parking spaces in the garage.