As parents, we often find ourselves using the word “no” more than “yes”—especially when it comes to our children.

“No, you can’t eat cookies for breakfast.”

“No, you can’t stay out after midnight.”

“No, you can’t cut your brother’s hair.”

You get the idea.

But what if you had just one day a year where you got to say “yes” to everything your kids wanted? That’s exactly what Jennifer Garner has been doing for the past several years.

Inspired by the children’s book Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Garner and her children celebrate a day of YES every year.  The catch?  All three kids have to agree.

“Having three kids, they have different ideas. A 13-year-old and a 7-year-old have a different idea about what they’d like to get out of ‘Yes Day.’ They have to agree, because it’s just one day for everyone.”

Garner shared some of her best “Yes Day” rules with Good Morning America. Here are her tips:

Decide when “Yes Day” will be and how often
Once you decide as a family, mark the day on the calendar and begin planning.  This not only makes it something the entire family will look forward to, but it alleviates the ask to have “Yes Day” every day.

Set rules
While this day is about breaking from the routine, some rules should still apply such as eating breakfast first, no illegal activities, setting a driving distance, keeping a time limit on TV and video games, and enforcing a realistic bedtime.  And for Garner, “Yes Day” does not include “permanent decisions, ear piercings or puppies.”

Make your list of “yes!”
Be prepared with a list of activities for your day of fun.  Have your children work with you to create a list of all the things you will do—noting which items may need reservations.  Again, keep with Garner’s rule:  all kids need to agree.  This will keep the list—and the day—fun for everyone.

We would love to hear what you do during your “Yes Day!” Share with us in the comments or on social media!