My Son:

"I don't want to wear clothes," he says with a stomp from my doorway, wearing only his Spiderman underwear.

"Fine, don't wear clothes then.  But you can't go with me in your underwear."

Foot stomp.  Door slam.  Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!!

Back at my doorway with a muffin.  He can't open the package, so he gets on my bed beside me and tosses it onto my chest.  "I want muffins!"

I toss them back.  "Then ask me nicely."

"No, I wont!"  Tosses the muffins back at me.

I put them on the table beside my bed.  "I want muffins!" He yells with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Then ask me nicely."

"I won't!  I-Want-Muffins!!!"

I ignore him.

He's acting bratty.

He lies down beside the dog, considering giving in.  I'm content with the brief reprive.  I know that every thing we do today will involve this struggle.  His will against mine.  Mostly, I will win.  But sometimes, I'm too tired to care, so I just give in.

I love this boy.  I seem to be the only person who does at times.  I understand how difficult he can be.  I understand why someone would choose to live without me, rather than with me when being with me involves this daily battle of wills from the boy.

I'm his mom.  Nothing I can or would change about that.

Maybe I'm a pushover.  Maybe I'm a fool.  Maybe I should spank him?  Maybe I should let all those people who seem to know better than me raise him instead?

I have few real options.

Just have to keep being the best mom I know how to be.  I don't do everything right, but at least I'm here and i'm trying.