Mom offers her kids a fun 'Yes Day' and it was adorable: 'Create your own memorable traditions'

Parents who are raising young children and trying to maintain some balance in their lives find it hard when they are constantly saying no to their kids. The Jennifer Garner-starrer "Yes Day" inspired some parents to break away from usual routines and give their kids a day where they hear "yes" to whatever they ask for; as long as it's within reason. Doing so creates a fun day of making memories while giving kids the tools to make responsible decisions and maintain some control.

Shannon, a content creator and mother of three, recently treated her children to a "Yes Day" filled with fun. A video of everything they did that day went viral on Instagram and TikTok, as it taught many a valuable lesson on parenting. The heartwarming video reminded people that it's sometimes OK to reverse expectations and offer our children a taste of what it's like to "be an adult" and do whatever they want, whenever they want. In fact, they might end up making some terrific choices—even if that includes dressing their mom in a goofy outfit.

Shannon, also known as @livingwithlady on social media, demonstrated an example of the ultimate "Yes Day." She begins the video by showing one of her sons coming downstairs for a hug to start the day. The three children each have to abide by certain rules on their "Yes Day." Shannon specifies some logistical rules clearly in the video's caption, including a $100 budget and a 40-mile radius limit. The other rules include everyone's consent and agreement, nothing that lasts into the future—such as getting a puppy, nothing that causes physical harm and being responsible. 

Shannon starts the day by letting her kids pick out her clothes. Although the children present her with a promising outfit at first, they top it off with a Flash mask. Despite having to walk around in public wearing the mask, Shannon did not take it off the whole day, which really showed her dedication to the idea of a "Yes Day!"

The children then hilariously dressed up in their dad's clothing and plundered his half of the wardrobe before having a $12.94 breakfast of doughnuts and juice. When the kids decided they wanted prizes from the gumball machine at the grocery store, $2 was deducted from the budget. The family used the afternoon to go geocaching (a fun game for kids!) and spend some time at the park, all of which were completely free outdoor activities.

They then visited the dollar store before going to the movies and snacking on popcorn and other treats. After the movies, they played some mini golf and arcade games before returning home for a breakfast-for-dinner (Brinner) meal. They played a few outdoor basketball games (another fun, free activity) to conclude their "Yes Day." At the end of the day, Shannon was so tired she slumps down on the couch. She concluded the video with the text overlay: "Until next year." In the video caption, Shannon adviced fellow parents to form their own "Yes Day" traditions. "Set your own limit, make your own rules, create your own memorable tradition," she wrote.

The video got a lot of love on social media, with 193,000 views and over 12,000 likes on Instagram. On TikTok too, the video was quite popular with 54,800 likes. User @lionsdenrv commented, "OMG, what an awesome day of memories and I love how you made the budget into a game of its own." Another user @buffback talks about the validation kids receive, "My favorite this about 'yes days' is how it validates that your children really do value time spent with u more than money."

The comment section on Instagram was also filled with appreciation for the mom, with people really praising the idea of a Yes Day. @breakfastlunchchocolate1 commended Shannon, saying, "I can tell your kids think you are the coolest mom ever!!!! So fun!!" User @mrspantoja points out that they really enjoyed that Shannon didn't take her mask off the whole day, saying, "I'm obsessed with this idea!!! Well executed momma! Love the absolute dedication with the mask all day!"