I go through periods where Emma really knows how to push my buttons and I have little to no fuse with her. We practice gentle and/or grace based discipline with her and yet there are times I feel like swatting her.

Often times I notice little things happening inside me and realize it is Satan at work trying to put a wedge between the two of us. I will not allow him to come between my beautiful daughter, who was entrusted to me by God, and myself!

Does anyone else go through this? I love my daughter dearly and try so hard to be patient and full of grace with her but there are times it's all I can do and have to go take a time out myself!

I think toddler years can be draining. It's a good thing kids are so cute at this age! Hang in there! This is the toughest age to discipline, but I think it's the most crucial. Be as consistant as possible so your children will know you mean what you say. I loved Lisa Whelchel's book on creative discipline. She does spank, but she had a lot of other ideas for creative discipline in her book that were effective and also taught children scripture and why they need to behave in the first place. Try to be proactive to prevent bad behavior (keep to a schedule, make sure little ones aren't too hungry or too tired, make sure they have lots of mommy and daddy time). I know your efforts will pay off and it will get better!

I think all parents have been through this before...and I try to just step back for a moment and evaluate the situation before I take action. We do spank sometimes but usually a warning and telling them what is expected of them takes care of the situation. We also take thinks away from them and that works good especially with our DS.

With toddlers I think timeout is really good as well. They hate having to sit stilll! I know in pre-k timeout works pretty well except with 2 of the children in there and we're at wits end as to what to do with them. We have told their parents and hopefully they will address this issue at home and things will get better.

Stephanie :D

I can remember the toddler years. Mine are now twin girls at 7 1/2 and a boy at 6. I used to swat but felt convicted about it and found information about grace based discipline. So I do know how you feel. My ds was the most trying as a toddler and I felt that spanking him did not help at all. Nothing but patience and a firm voice, eye contact snapped him out of his fits. Dh takes a different stance where discipline is concerned and corrected his behaviour, from time to time, in a different way. I think the combination of dh's and my approach is suitable for our ds. He is a very very very strong willed child. One of my dd's still tries my patience on a daily basis. Oooh What an opportunity to just fall on our knees and plead with God for His grace to get thru the moment!!! Ive done that before now. Ive said things like (very seriously too!!) 'God if I dont ask for your help right now Im going to hurt someone!! Please help me!!' His grace always fills me. I just gotta remember to take that moment!! thats the hard part sometimes.

Thank you all so much! If I have learned nothing else as a mother it's that whatever problem you are having right now, it will soon be gone and replaced with a new one :D

Thank you so much!

I can totally relate, Grant is 2 and there are somedays I just have to pray over him! LOL! He is in that defiant stage now, where he knows I don't want him doing something and does it anyway.... ARGGGG! So, just know you are not alone, though I don't have any advice for you.