Troubling Times and the Terrible Two's?

We have begun having a terrible time with Corynn these days. She seems always to be pushing the limits, seeing how far she can go with disobedience, and trying out her independance and free will at no cost. She can be so insufferable! She really tries my patience sometimes. We were at the library today and she kept running away from me. When I would tell her to come-she would run the other way. When I told her to sit on the stool, she would go and sit on the floor. When I told her stop, she would laugh and run away. I spanked her twice in the aisle, then took her to the bathroom where I gave her a harder spank, and when that didn't work-I finally left...my left arm brimful with books and my right arm carrying a little girl. I was a bit miffed. She has also started to cover her face or say 'no' when she doesn't want to hear something or do something. When I tell her to come, she waits until I make a move to her before she makes a step.

Though I can get very discouraged about it, it WILL stop. I have been consistent and firm-but obviously, she needs me to be more so. It is ever so important to nip these things in the bud now. I will NOT stand for a child telling me no. I will NOT stand for children not listening to their elders (as a situation this past weekend is fresh on my mind..). I will not have delayed obedience (also known as disobedience).
I am happy to be experiencing this though, because I hope that in the end, it will serve as an eye-opener to godly parenting methods. I will laugh in peoples' faces when they say to me (as they have in the past) "Wait until you have difficult one, a stubborn one, a hard to manage one or even...wait until you have a boy!" Corynn is no pushover...she is no complacent little girl. She wants her way as any child does. She is stubborn in her efforts, zealous for control, and does not want authority-much like any other child. I am happy to admit this because then people will know that when she grows old and she is obedient and she brings us delight, they will know it was not due to her disposition but rather to diligence in her training as a child.

Rereading Disciplining Little Ones was actually a great encouragement to me, and I have needed it. I am reminded of a quote from another of D.Wilson's articles called The Long-Run. In it, he says....
The most important returns from child-rearing in this life do not come in the first five years. There is necessarily a heavy investment of time and energy when the children are little. But if they are disciplined and taught well, as they grow they will begin to contribute far more to the family than they receive from it. We are born into this world with one mouth and two hands. So when obedient to God, we produce more than we consume. But initially, as newborns and toddlers, children merely contribute to the workload.
He goes on to speak about the rewards not only in this life, but the eternal value of what we do each day as parents.
I certainly need that reminder and the sinful ways of my child rear their ugly little heads.