At the HGGC children's celebration, the hall was calm and well organized. The program tagged "Equipping the child for the future".
Everyone was locked in on the lead speaker. Whose topic was on "The Power of “No” — Setting Boundaries and Discipline in Raising Children.
Most people agreed with her that “Children need to hear no sometimes. They can’t get everything they want all the time.”
But in the corner, one young woman with her toddler disagreed loudly.
“If you have it, or can afford it, just give it to the child,” she said. “Stop being difficult and mean. They are the results of your love nest. Why suffer or deny them what they want?”
As I listened, I thought nobody really likes to hear “no.”
Not as a child. Not as an adult.
“No” can leave you sad, dejected, even feeling neglected.
But “no” is also a choice. A boundary.
“No, I don’t like that.” “No, I want to be alone.”
After many “yes, yes, yes,” a “no” matters.
It may cut like a knife, but it strengthens firmness to continue and to control.
Back to the woman in the corner. She kept giving her toddler candies so the child wouldn not disturb her in the meeting.
Hours later, the toddler started crying: “Mama, I have bugs in my tummy.” She was confused about what to do.
Another woman said "When ‘no’ is too hard to say, you will always know the way to the hospital.” She added "It seems you are the child and your toddler is the parent."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Honestly, it wasn’t really funny but then
children can be manipulative and persuasive in nature with please, please.
Sometimes the hardest “no” in a moment can save a lot of stress later.
It could be the kindest thing you experience if not at the moment but later.
Have you experienced any situation that made you happy because someone said "no"
Images generated with meta AI.
