Why is being a parent so hard?

SERIOUSLY? Why is it so stinkin' hard to be a parent? I feel like I am emotionally exhausted some days from simply enforcing, reinforcing, imposing consequences to actions, and explaining things for the 1000th time to my kids. I so want them to grow up to realize that every action has a consequence. I want to be consistent in my discipline for them. This just means I have to be at the top of my game EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Today for instance I had to deal with a situation where my oldest was bragging about sneaking a snack in his backpack that his dad did not know he had (which his dad DID know he had) to a friend at school. His teacher overheard the conversation and told me. So before we went to church tonight we talked about this and why this was lying and not ok. I tried to figure out why he thought it was cool to tell his pal this and why he made up the story. SO after we just had this conversation, we went to church and while there he painted on another kid's project (and she cried 'til I fixed it). Another boy at the table told on him so I asked him about it. He said he didn't do it. We had like 20 kindergarten and first graders in a small room all painting and needing help, so I didn't push the issue. When we got in the van, I brought it up and he confessed that he did paint on her project. WHY did he paint on her project and then WHY did he not tell me the truth? ARGHHHH!!!!!!!!!! He got in trouble when he got home. But that required me staying on top of things and being consistent with each instance. I could have easily let it go when we got home. But I wanted him to realize that there are always consequences to his actions.
My middle child seems to think he can talk in this gruff voice when he does not get his way. He has taken to stomping his foot or making this awful whiny sound when we tell him no to something he wants. I cannot stand that sound or the whiny attitude. So he has been losing privileges and getting in trouble for doing it. Are there times when I am just too tired to deal with it or want to ignore it? SURE - but then that is one step forward and two steps back for us, so I can't ignore it.

All of this makes me think of God and how he must feel when he looks at us. We KNOW the right thing to do - not repeat gossip about someone at work/church/school, not lose our patience with our spouse, not tell "little white lies", etc. and yet we continue to sin. I know how it breaks my heart when my kids continue to disobey. I cannot imagine how he feels, and yet he CONTINUES TO EXTEND GRACE TO ME. That simply does not make sense. I do not deserve it at all, yet he still loves me and gives me grace.

I have to learn from God's example and continually extend grace and forgiveness to my kids. MAN that is hard!!! Being a parent is hard - PERIOD. There is no vacation, no time off, no taking a sabbatical. You are a parent 24/7. The biggest thing I am trying to learn/accept is that my kids have choices to make. I can direct their path and try to help them make good choices. But at the end of the day - they are the ones making the choices. They also are the ones who have to learn there are consequences for their choices and that there always will be consequences. As hard as it may be sometimes to watch - I have to let them endure those consequences. I also have to be the one to impose those consequences sometimes. It is not fun. I do not enjoy it. But it simply has to happen.

Today was a tough parenting day and I am completely spent. I'd like to say tomorrow will be better, but I am not promised that. I can only hope at some point on this journey, all of this hard work will pay off!