To help parents combat the culture of “More, Easy, Fast, and Fun,” the National Institute on Media and the Family and the Minnesota PTA today announced the launch of Minnesota Say Yes to No, a statewide campaign led by a coalition of more than a dozen parent, educator and health organizations to ignite powerful community conversations across the state and to raise successful, healthy and self-reliant kids. Starting in September, the coalition will offer parents an arsenal of tactics, explanations, and examples for using No the right way with their kids.   

“Say Yes to No gives parents and educators the tools they need to instill self-discipline in our children,” said Dr. David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family. “Too often our kids get caught up in the culture of ‘More, Easy, Fast, and Fun’ and develop Discipline Deficit Disorder. By helping parents become stronger parents, we can ensure our kids can succeed in life and school.”

Using Dr. Walsh’s latest book, No: Why Kids – of All Ages – Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It, as a guide, the Minnesota Say Yes to No campaign emphasizes self-discipline as the most important life skill that parents and educational leaders can instill in children to help them achieve future success. The coalition is urging parents and educators to read the book and then seek meaningful ways to reverse Discipline Deficit Disorder. The symptoms of Discipline Deficit Disorder range from impatience, a lack of respect, and a need for instant gratification to inflated expectations, a sense of entitlement, selfishness, and falling test scores. 

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