> Besides, I kind of like having rebels for kids. Well there is your problem, but let me explain why it is a problem. An iron fist of sorts is very much neede

> Besides, I kind of like having rebels for kids. Well there is your problem, but let me explain why it is a problem. An iron fist of sorts is very much needed for successful parenting. This falls into my general theory of life: Clear rules result in more fun. Definition: An attribute of a perfectly clear rule is that it never changes. Why do rules result in more fun? It is because there is too much choice without rules, and humans want to test the boundaries of any game before they starting playing 'for real'. Consider this example: You jump into a parallel universe, everything could be different. You can hardly enjoy yourself unless you first defined how the world works = how to move, what to eat, what to avoid..all that. After that, you can start living your life. So when you tell your kids that they have to eat their vegetables, but after they complain for a few minutes, you change your mind and tell them that 'just this once' they can eat something else instead...the rules vanish. Suddenly anything is possible. Maybe it's possible to never eat vegetables again? Maybe she was just kidding? Maybe there are no rules? What rules are there? The kid is certainly happy at first, but now the boundaries have moved. It has to test them again! This theory also explains why games like Tetris, Mario and recently Minecraft are so incredibly popular. They are based on a very well defined set of rules. People love to experiment, and they can do so freely in a world which is safe to experiment in. They love to maximize efficiency within the bounds of the ruleset. I have recently seen it with my dog actually. He was always barking at anything that moved while he was outside in the garden. Earlier I sometimes got annoyed enough to force him inside. He was very displeased and didn't understand why he had to go inside, and why I was so upset. His barking never stopped of course, he couldn't ascertain the underlying ruleset. A few weeks ago I started to move him inside at even the tiniest whiff of a bark. No exceptions, ever. He adapted incredibly quickly, he barks much less now, and he even waits outside the door when he hears me coming because he doesn't want me to get upset. He now understands the rules, and we both like it more. If you ever tire of your kids' constant rebellious nature, it will be far too late to change it. They adapted to your parenting style, and they will care very little for your very much unexpected change of mind. In fact - if you put up a fight - they will be the model screaming teenagers we all shake our heads to on TV.