It’s 6:40am. I was in my pajamas. I planned to do 10-minute emailing, 10-minute biking, 10-minute walking with the dogs, 20-miniute personal grooming and start a conference call at 7:30.
My 16-yr old suddenly asked “Mom, could you take me to school?” I replied harshly “no, you didn’t give me enough notice” She said “cool off, I was just asking”. Her reply made me reflect the whole thing.. Yes. She was just making a request, where was my freedom to reject the request with grace?
I realize that I had anxiety over saying NO to my children when I could have accepted their requests.
When I don’t have time to accommodate them, I can say no easily. When I really want to accommodate them and I can do it by stretching myself, I have hard time to say NO. I often stretch myself to accommodate or I say NO with anger. Anger was more towards me for not wanting to accommodate. How interesting it came out so negative towards them when I was upset with myself.
What I want to practice is to say NO gently and lovingly to my children when I choose not to accommodate them.