I think I have just been lucky. I have not had a real problem with my kids. We have always had a good line of comunication and I have never felt the need to intimidate them into anything. They are all wonder open minded indiviuals. I don't know what it is like to have a child stealing from you or talking back....although a lot of that I see comes from kids that are being suffocated by their parents....

I don't do anything that I would not mind my kids doing and while I was stern with them I never taught them intimidation is the answer...it does not work in the real world. I think threating them like equals is important...but thats just MHO.