My 5-year-old has been a tad difficult lately. And by a tad, I
mean HUGELY INSANELY HORRIBLY difficult. It must be a phase
(dear God, please let it be a phase), and I am counting down the
seconds until he reverts back to the easygoing boy I knew.   In
the meantime, I'm tightening the reins, doling out the
punishments, and teaching him who's boss. But you know what
sucks about that? The fact that I can't punish him these days
without feeling like I'm the one getting punished.  Here are the
top five punishments he hates most ...  1. Cancelling a
playdate: Not only do I look like a dick to the other parent,
but I need to deal with an annoying child complaining of nothing
to do all afternoon and have to entertain him while he could
have been someone else's problem for the day.  2. Not attending
a birthday party: Again, I look like an asshole backing out at
the last minute, I’m already out the gift, plus I have to make
lunch. Definitely not a win.  3. Going to bed early: So I need
to listen to him screaming and wh