Sometimes saying No isn’t just about candy bars and new toys. Sometimes saying No is about the tough stuff, when a parent can just feel that something is not right. This happened to two parents who after reading the book No realized that their high schooler’s behavior had changed dramatically over the past 5 months. He went from spending a lot of time with a good group of friends and playing sports to spending many hours of his day in his room in front of a screen. He was completely immersed in video games.

They knew for their son’s sake they had to take control and put some limits and rules around his video game play. They had to say “No”.  They did and his outburst and strong reaction was a measure how important his virtual world had become. What these parents quickly realized is that they needed outside support for saying No to their child and quickly sought the help of their school counselor. Saying Yes to No involves the tough calls, when your child will not at all appreciate your job as a parent. That’s why part of the Say Yes to No campaign is the conversations between parents, supporting each other. Sometimes, though, don’t hesitate to turn to your school counselor or other professionals for help.