Does your child or teen refuse to listen to your directions and push every boundary you try to set until you blow up, or give in? You’re not alone feeling this.  Children look for any opportunity to press an advantage and get what they want. This is actually a natural conflict that all parents face at some point but that doesn’t make it any less maddening. Often these battles are more about a child gaining a feeling of control, or managing their anxiety about a situation, than about watching 10 more minutes of television. If you struggle to get your child to do what you feel like other children do so easily, know that this doesn’t make you a bad parent.  In fact it shows that you want more for your child and for the life of your family and that’s an important first step.  Reach out if you’d like support in figuring out how to unwind patterns of behavior that aren’t working for you or for your child.