Saying No

I am so tired of saying no. But my kids ask the most outlandish things...what else am I supposed to say all day?

I've read parenting articles on how to avoid saying "no" to toddlers. You know, divert their attention, that sort of thing. That may aid in circumventing temper tantrums, but what about downright ridiculous requests??

Ainsley: "Mommy can you turn the air conditioner on?"
Mom: "No, it's the middle of winter."
Ainsley: "But I'm cold." (oh yes...this is a conversation we've really had)
Mom: "If you're cold, I need to turn on the heater."
Ainsley: "Well, I just want the air conditioner on. Can you turn it on please?"
Mom: "No."
Ainsley: "Please please please please?"
Mom: "No."

Note the use of, count them, three "no"s in the course of one short conversation. You can't exactly divert the attention of a three year old.

Ainsley: "Mommy, can you turn the air conditioner on?"
Mom: "Look at that bird."

It just doesn't work.

And the thing is (as illustrated in the example above) one "no" doesn't suffice these days. This was our conversation this morning:

Mom: "Benjamin please stop blowing that obnoxious noise maker that you got at Ian's birthday party, of which I am going to hunt down the inventor and subject him to all forms of evil torture, not the least of which will be wrestling him to the ground and blowing that thing in his ear."

Ok...so maybe that's not quite how it went.

Mom: "Benjamin, please stop blowing that. Mede is taking a nap."
Ben: "But it sounds like a goose."
Mom: "Great. Well, sound like a goose when Mede is awake."
Ben: "When it's time to wake Mede up [for church], can I wake him up with my goose noise?"
Mom: "No."
Ben: "Why not?"
Mom: "Because that's a yucky way to wake up. Would you want someone to come and wake you up with a loud goose noise?"

**Commence 5 minute diatribe on how much Benjamin would love for someone to wake him with a loud goose noise.**

Mom: "Okay. Well, even if you would want someone to wake you up with a loud goose noise, I don't think Mede wants to be woken up that way."
Ben: "Can I just try?"
Mom: "No."

Why don't they ask things that I can say yes to? "Hey Mom, can I have a plate full of vegetables?" or "Mom, can I be really quiet now so the baby can go to sleep?" What about this one: "Mother dear, may I please thoroughly brush my teeth, go potty, and get my pajamas on so that you may sit and enjoy your novel?"

Alright...I'm getting ridiculous now. But sometimes you just want to say yes.

Do you think that's how Heavenly Father feels at times? Why don't they just ask for something that I'm ready to give them? Why don't they ask for something I can say yes to? I guess Heavenly Father probably doesn't ask why. But you know what I mean. I'm sure that some of the things I pray for in my relative preschoolhood (eternally speaking) sound to Father in Heaven the way Benjamin's and Ainsley's requests sound to me. It has given me a better understanding of what it means to ask things in the name of Christ.

In the Bible dictionary under "prayer," it says: "We pray in Christ's name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ--when his words abide in us. We then ask for things it is possible for God to grant."

Hmmm....perhaps I need to stop asking for the air conditioner to be on in the winter...