No No, Yes Yes

                                                           

Yes and No, words many adults have a hard time using and understanding.


Recently,  I found a book that teaches a few basic rules using two simple words, yes and no.  Its a children's book written by Leslie Patricelli, titled "No No Yes Yes". With a few minor changes it could easily become book many adults could learn from. Leslie Patricelli's book teaches children using very simple, illustrations. There is one where the child is yanking, shaking, and downright torturing a cat. The look on the cats face makes you wish you could jump in the book and save the poor thing. Above the picture in  large dark letters reads "No No". Turn your attention to the page on the right and you see the same child and cat enjoying the child nicely petting its fury friend. Above written in the same dark, large print you read"Yes Yes". Brilliant right? This is what is not nice, and this is what is! What a concept! (Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?)
                                                      
Turn the page and you see a child illustrated holding what could only be a plastic toy hammer. It looks like the child wielding the toy hammer is about to smash it over his friends head. Above the illustration reading loud and clear "No No". On the right side the same child is using the toy hammer to bang plastic nails into a toy work bench. Cheerfully watching is the child who on the opposite page was about to be pummeled. Above in bold black letters "Yes Yes". What a genius concept. Pictures to teach us that No we cant beat people up, but instead we play nice with each other.

I was telling my mom about this book because my daughter loves it. She asks my husband and myself to read it over and over. We change the commentary we use to narrate the pictures to entertain ourselves and her, but always follow along with the concepts that are illustrated. We even started using no, no and yes, yes when we are trying to correct her behavior or teach her certain things are or are not for her to play with. I laughed when my mom chuckled and mentioned that she knew many adults who could benefit from such a book. What a genius idea!

The lessons in the adult version could even be similar to those in the children's book. No, no you cannot hit your friends when you get drunk or need an ego boost. Yes, yes  play nice with your friends and have a laugh. No, no don't do mean things to people and animals you love. Yes, yes give them hugs and treat them nicely. The book could even become the first of a series. Just think, gender specific. To a woman: No, no you don't need another pair of shoes. Yes, yes save the money for a nice vacation instead. To a man: No no don't leave your clothes wherever they drop in the place you happen to take them off. Yes, yes bend over, pick them up and put them in the dirty clothes hamper. A book directed at teenagers could be written too. No, no don't post every thought that crosses your mind on the internet. Yes, yes leave some thoughts as just that, thoughts and don't post too much personal information on the internet.
                      
I think as adults, we tend to make things much more difficult than they truly are. Do we really have to explain to each other that no means no? Or that its ok to say yes when someone asks if you need help? We make simple statements so difficult by over analyzing them and the situation in which the word was spat. No I don't want the credit card you are trying to bombard me with information on, or yes I would love it if you did the dishes. Those seem like such simple and easily understood statements.  Yet it seems we have a hard time with these small, easily read words. Perhaps we should pay more attention to our toddlers books and simplify things. There are certain behaviors, actions, and verbal altercations we should not participate in, and there is always an alternate action that is going to be better received by all involved, leave the actor with more integrity and pride, and would simply make people feel better.

Such simple words for what should be such simple rules, no and yes.