It's not easy sometimes but you do learn the difference between kids crying because they're in distress and crying because they're just being stubborn. The real

It's not easy sometimes but you do learn the difference between kids crying because they're in distress and crying because they're just being stubborn. The real difficulty is when they're distressed but "tough love" is exactly whats needed (eg you're example of getting them to sleep in their own bed). What I struggle the most with is when they actually put a logical argument forward to get their own way. My eldest is not long 4 and he has already been putting some pretty intelligent counter arguments for why he should get his own way for about two years now. Sometimes I cave even if I know he is just arguing because his points are so well formed that I simply cannot argue back (plus I never want to stifle a kids ability to examine and deconstruct the world). My wife often calls me a big softy for that. Ultimately though, my wife and I compliment each other in different ways so where I struggle with parenting she excels; and visa versa. I don't even know how single parents cope because I know for a fact I wouldn't.