If you’ve got what they call a “spirited” child, this probably sounds very familiar. This isn’t our first rodeo with a spirited child; our first son was/is very similar. Kids with this temperament tend to be more persistent, sensitive, intense, curious, and perceptive (according to Dr. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka in Raising Your Spirited Child). Parenting books are full of ideas and from what I’ve seen, often suggest that kids struggling with control need more options. Your spirited child loves you to infinity and beyond, and there is no one more qualified for the job.