Children = Manipulators

I may have once daydreamed about how I would be the perfect Mom, anticipating their every need and stage of development so as to prevent any rough patches, thereby carefully and lovingly raising perfect children. Now we have 6 children and reality has set in. They are manipulative little...gems. I make perfectly delicious and nutritious meals and I get screaming, wailing, teeth-gnashing and this.

I strive to fulfill their lives with classical, Christian home education and I end up negotiating with a 6 year-old to finish his fact sheet by allowing this.

My initial plan was so brilliant. Where did I go wrong?