How do you solve a problem like Eliza?

I often find myself in situations with this strong-willed toddler of mine, and I wonder how strict/permissive should I be? Should I stick to what my pediatrician insisted was the best course of action, or should I try to be more flexible and "roll with the punches" or just try to keep the peace?

I honestly wonder at some of these times what other people would do. Especially many of the mothers and caregivers I admire. Maybe you'd respond in a great way that never occurred to me!

I'd really like to know what you'd do! So, I made up this quiz with some help from Steve about some of our hardest moments with Eliza.

Please take the quiz and let me know what you're answers are in the comments, whether you're a mother or father or not.

I know some of the answers might seem a little silly, but I honestly have probably done all of these things at one time or another!!

So, What would you do?

1. Eliza's just woken up from her 2 hour nap at 1pm. What do you do?
a. Immediately change her diaper. She's had over 2 hours to fill it up, and we don't want a diaper rash! If she's gotten any stains on her clothes, you change those now too.
b. Carry her downstairs and let her loose on the animals and her toys. Wait until she starts fussing to decide what to do next with her.
c. Start scrounging through the fridge with Eliza on your hip to figure out some lunch.
d. Put Baby Einstein on. It's been 3 hours since her last TV fix.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________

2. Lunch time. You decide to...
a. Strap her into her booster seat while you plan her nutritious meal. She should be able to entertain herself for 5 minutes while you get things ready. If not, then she can just yell and fuss for 5 minutes- she'll survive.
b. Let her walk around and wander through the kitchen, clinging to your pants while you try to navigate around her and the other 2 furry creatures who always manage to show up for meals. You pick her up once in a while when she starts picking things out of the trash or climbing into the fridge.
c. Hold her in your arms as much as possible during the cooking and food prep. Narrate each action and step you take and give her turns every once in a while to stir, close the microwave, wash her hands, or hold the silverware. If it becomes necessary to have 2 hands, you pull out a stunningly fascinating object that holds her attention for a whole minute-- such as playing drums on pots and pans or stirring a bowl full of cotton balls. You pick her up as soon as you only need one hand again.
d. Put Baby Einstein on. Hopefully it'll entertain her for a few minutes before she hears her stomach growling/is reminded of reality.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________
3. Somehow while the fridge is open, Eliza catches sight of Steve's fat free pudding cups and grabs one. She holds it up to you and starts signing "more" and "eat" and whining. You...
a. Pop open the lid, grab a spoon a give it to her right there.
b. Snatch it away from her and give her something else to hold in hopes that it'll distract her. She'll cry for a little while, but eventually forget it about it.
c. Pop her in her booster seat and give her two bites until she shakes her head "no" because she doesn't want anymore.
d. Eat it yourself. Hold her on your lap and give her a bite every now and then too, while you watch Baby Einstein together on the couch.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________
4. Lunch is FINALLY ready. Who knew noodles could take so long to boil? For now she's in her booster seat. You start offering the spaghetti sauce and penne noodles to Eliza. She eats 3 and then shakes her head and refuses to take anymore. She gives you the "all done" sign even though she's only been eating for a measly 2 minutes. You...
a. Ignore her sign even though you want to encourage her communication skills. You offer her some grapes to see if those will get a better reception. She eats like 1 1/2 before she starts throwing them down to the pets. You then offer her another one of her favorites, crackers with cream cheese. Those get sent to the floor. She gives you the "all done" sign again. You grab the sippy cup, and she drinks for like a whole minute straight.
b. You already are prepared with a drink and offer her whole milk with a straw and she gulps it all up, and then says and signs, "Brrr!" After that she accepts a couple more noodles and grapes before sending them to the floor, but only with the help of your airplane/tap dance performance that has her so entertained that she forgets that she was "all done."
c. You let her out and let her finish the rest of her meal from your lap and the floor and she runs from toys back to food, then kitty back to the food, and so on. Turns out she wasn't "all done" with her meal, just the booster seat. Oh, well, maybe next time! At least she's happier!
d. You turn on Baby Einstein and try to sneak a bite in to her here and there while she's distracted by the movie.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________

5. Lunch time's finally over and Eliza's free from her high chair. She's full enough to be pleasantly be playing by herself / with the pets. You...
a. Take this chance to clear your sink of breakfast and lunch dishes and sanitize the counters and take out the trash. Your sink of course was empty before breakfast. You never go to bed with a dirty sink of dishes!
b. Take this chance to put in a load of laundry and grab socks and shoes for you and Eliza and the dog's leash, sun hats, sun lotion, stroller, water bottle, camera, and pacifier for a stimulating trip to the park!
c.Lay back and read another chapter of the spectacular book you've been reading. It's enlightening and adult and reminds you of your favorite comp lit course in college. Finally a minute break from poopy diapers and animal sounds! You let the dog lick up the dirty lunch dishes... haha. After she gets bored, you start playing with her and singing songs about animals, insects, and nature with actions and everything.
d. Turn on Baby Einstein to stretch the entertained minutes out. You use the time to do some picking up in the living room and then use the rest of the time to blog and check your e-mail.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________
6. A few hours have passed. Eliza's gotten really tired and is showing signs of being worn out. She's already had dinner and it's too late to put her down for a nap...
a. You go ahead and let her fall asleep. Just go with the flow. If she ends up waking up again late at night, then you'll play with her for a while longer-- then she'll be in a better mood!
b. You lie down on the floor with her and let her crawl, cuddle, wrestle and yell at you to kill time and maybe read a book or two until Dad/Mom gets home from work or the gym. You'll let them decide what to do with her when they get back. You're just as worn out as she is. You turn the TV on so you don't miss Oprah/International News Report.
c. You start the water for a bath and let Eliza enjoy an extra long bath time! Water is the ultimate form of fun!
d. Let her wander around outside and maybe go on a little walk in the cul-de-sac while you point out pretty plants and the cat and dog running around. Then come in and turn on Baby Einstein.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________
7. Eliza's finally asleep. You're worn out but happy to be alone with your spouse. You feel like relaxing, and you decide to...
a. get those dishes done! Mold doesn't sleep! While you've got those rubber gloves on, you might as well change the cat litter, wipe down the toilet bowl, pick up the living room and do a load of wash. Then you collapse on your pillow with a feeling of accomplishment.
b. Watch Jeopardy, check your favorite blogs and email and let out a sigh of relief! The work day is over! You might pick up a few things in the kitchen or living room and take out the trash to the curb, but you're ready to call it a night.
c. Take an hour break to relax, blog, or watch TV, then do a half hour of housework before you hit the sack and read your book!
d. Take a walk with your spouse where you talk about love and life and then do 20 minutes of cleaning together. Then play a game together, share a bowl of ice cream and watch ABC's Wipe-out and laugh at people getting smacked in the face.
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________
8. It's Sacrament Meeting! Eliza's getting restless. You...
a. Take her out to the hall and let her run wild to her heart's content. You catch a sentence from the talks here and there.
b. You're excited to get some cuddle time and want to teach Eliza the principle of reverence, so you try to keep her in your lap or seated right next to you on the pew. You read all of the books you brought 5 times each, draw on the etch a sketch and program 5 different times, and urge her to fold her arms for every prayer. During the songs you let her move around some. If she really starts losing it, you take her out to the hall, but then you still have her to sit in your lap.
c. You've got a diaper bag packed full of quiet but stimulating stuff-- including reverent books, quiet toys, grapes and apples slices, string cheese, cheerios, and juice. You try to keep her within your row/pew and you don't take her out to the hall unless she's screaming. Once she's calm and distracted, you bring her back in.
d. You entertain her with stories and toys, but when she starts to get bored, you let her wander around the sacrament meeting room saying hi to other people and visiting their families and playing with their kids' toys. Everyone loves babies, right?
e. Something Awesome I haven't thought of:________________________________