Can you say NO..
I have been swamped in every direction with questions I want to say NO to but hesitate and then guilt myself with why I should or shouldn’t do it. I beat myself up and ponder it over and over. Some things should be easy to say no to. But I am a pleaser by nature and it comes by very hard to do.
Remember when you were little and asked for something and your mom said, "We'll see," it was always better than a flat out, "No." Much like “maybe” it feels like it could happen. “I will think about it" gives you hope when you ask for something.
These types of responses are a nicer way of saying “No” and are easier to hear than the actual thought going through your head. It is hard to say no, and much easier to brush off the question with a maybe.
I am a MAYBE abuser. I use it all the time. My son pointed it out to me this week that I never say YES right away. It got me thinking why I do this. Is it that hard to say No or Yes to a direct question??
As a mom, my kids are always asking questions which in return would make me add more to my to do list, so I find myself using theses responses instead of simply saying NO. I want to be involved and please them but time is a huge factor in today’s time or lack of time. My schedule is already so packed with the activities there is no room for much more…
I hate to hurt my kids feeling and make them feel bad! It is also reality (Larry’s favorite word) that we cant say yes to everything but using these push off responses gives them time to forget the request or desire. lol
Being an avid book reader, I found this book by Mary Byers, "How to Say No ... And Live to Tell About It." I haven’t started to read it yet but I hope it can teach me something. She is a great author and very funny. I see her at a Christian concert in Wisconsin a year ago.
I will let you know how it goes. But until then I will try to be more firm with my answers…doubtful!

Little bunny Fo Fo hopping through the forest….

Collins class trip was in Princeton was to the conservation center on the out skirts of town. Actually they should have told us it was swamp land and we could have come prepared with old shoes or boots on. This took place in a large pasture adjacent to the woods. After 3 days of non stop rain the place was a mud pit! Of course when you put 500 kids in the mud you get muddy kids! They were pushing and stomping through the mud and it was quite the scene. Not one of us came home untouched or clean.
The sun came out and started to dry things up a bit.

The presentation for the day was wonderful. The kids learned about wild life, natural habitat, fish, turtles, mud, types of dirt and electricity. There was an art center where they made necklaces out of wood and rolled acorns in peanut butter for the birds.

Recycling and the Teepee (Indian facts) were the last events of the day. The kids love the races with garbage and the facts about Indians. They got to hold and pet baby wild life. Collin fell in love with the bunnies. The possum was a bit disturbing as it crawled on the handlers neck and licked her.. Uugghh… Way to friendly for me! But the facts were enlightening and who couldn’t love a baby coon? They were adorable.

The day was a bonding experience with my son and his class. The kids were all well behaved and enjoyed being away from school. Actually they probably learned more this day than they did all last week in school combined. Fun facts are always better to absorb!

Field trips are so much fun they should have them a few times a year!

5Th grade class photo