My children were great bargainers, and me being quite the free spirit, I tended to listen to the bargaining and give in from time-to-time. The thing about making rules and then bending rules is that very soon no clear rules exist. Then when a situation popped up that required me to stick to the rule and not budge an inch, they could not believe how “unfair” I had become! How could I be so mean? How could I not see their sides? Did I not trust them? Nobody else’s parents have such a ridiculous standard! You get the picture. The result was a lot of misery on both sides. As a parent and a naturally soft-hearted person, rule enforcement was not easy, but it was mandatory . . . And let’s admit it—there are times when an appeal to the rules should be made. If bedtime is 8:30, but relatives…