I hate punishing my kids.  I absolutely hate having to come up with and follow through with consequences.  I'd much rather they behave like the perfect angels I know are buried in there; sometimes closer to the surface than others.  But, a good parent can't always be a child's friend.
Sometimes, parenting means being 'mean'.
Although one child is constantly testing and reevaluating her boundaries, the other sometimes takes me by surprise.
It is that child that blinked away tears tonight and told me I was right and thank you.

I don't know how to let her know how proud I am of the way she listens, accepts and respects rules.  She may rant and rail in her own way in private (And I'm certain with her friends) but some days...she makes me feel like maybe I haven't done so bad by them after all.