Battle of Wills

I have mentioned before how our little B can be quite stubborn and challenging, yet so charming at the same time. The closer we get to age 2, the more and more her stubborn streaks show up. The battle of wills has begun.

On Thursday, my darling daughter bit me on the arm. We had been playing and there was a chance it was an accident, so I just sternly told her "No bite" and wagged my finger at her. Not two seconds later, she bit me again. I smacked her hand and told her again "No Bite!" Before I could set her down she leaned in for a third chomp so I used my hand to hold her jaw back, said "No bite!" and smacked her hand again. Did she cry? Of course not. She pulled my hair. I put her in a chair and held her there for a full minute and only then did she begin to wail.

We have also been trying to teach her some table manners - mainly not to throw food or cups and to let us know when she is all done. Basic, simple skills one might think. She CAN do them, but she wants to be in charge. When it became apparent she was done with breakfast on Sunday and wanted down, I asked her to say "Please." She can perform this task, and has done so many times. This time she shook her head "no" at me. I told her to say please, if she wanted down. Again she shook her head "no" but fought at getting out of the chair with all her might. It must have taken 5 minutes or more of this for her to relent and say "Please" to ask to be let down.

Oh yes, I'm in for it. I've read Toddler 411, The Happiest Toddler on the Block, The Everything Toddler Book, The Girlfriend's Guide to Toddlers, The Strong-Willed Child, Dare to Discipline, and several other titles and I'm still terrified. I don't want to raise a spoiled brat who thinks she must always get her way. I don't want to raise a pampered child or a bully. I want my child to become what every other loving parent on the planet hopes for - a well-adjusted, flexible, responsible, reasonable human being. I guess we have to get through the demons of toddlerhood first, praying we survive and come out better for it on the other side.