Parenting Stuff 1 - The Background

The Background:
I'm usually not quite so open about things in my blog... but today I feel led to be. I'm not sure why or if this is a new trend or a one time thing but here we go.
We have really been struggling a lot with Ethan, lately. He is going through another of those stages where it seems like he doesn't do anything I tell him to. Where it seems I spend my days in constant battle to get him to comply with the rules of daily life. He isn't interested in doing anything I want him to. He often answers my instructions by telling me what he is going to do INSTEAD, or why he "is not able" to do what I have asked. Not acceptable reasons either, for example: "I'm busy doing something else." Nearly every request or instruction is met with argument and non-compliance and it feels like our lives are in CONSTANT conflict. So much of my time an effort is consumed by this struggle that I haven't had much mental energy left for other areas of our lives. I know how important it is to bring our family into accord and had begun feeling desperate... I am pretty resourceful and have a lot of ideas but when one after another failed to have an effect I knew I'd hit a wall... I began to cast about for some kind of Faith Based parenting class, a place I could get some new ideas.

Low and behold within ONE DAY of arriving at this place.... I discovered that my church was going to begin a new series on Wednesday nights..... "Essentials of Discipline" a series developed by Dr. James Dobson. Hallelujah, I knew it was an answer to my cries of "Help!"

The series began last night and already I learned some wonderful things that I've put into practice, but I think I had better save that for another installment...