Normal or Abnormal?

Here are some reasonable expectations for childhood behavior.
Your children will have a desire to please you, but that wish to please can be easily overwhelmed by the power of their own motives in numerous situations. For example, they are not trying to please when they are throwing a temper tantrum because they don't get their way.
Expect them to cry and display anger when you are enforcing your requirements or when you are applying some punishment as a consequence for misbehavior. (Punishment as here defined is anything which a child does not like, such as taking something away or imposing a time-out. It does not imply any kind of physical assault such as spanking, but it might involve the action of picking a child up or taking hold of him and moving him to a different location.) The crying is evidence that your consequences are producing some learning. It is an indication of their dislike for what you are doing and is a normal reaction in the learning process. You don't want to give them power over you by your trying to talk them out of crying. It's probably best to ignore the crying unless it's too disruptive. In that case you can remove them to an isolated place where the crying can run its course.
Expect them to seek means of gaining power for themselves. That includes the ability to get things they want, to get attention, and to gain freedom to do what they want to do or to get out of doing what they want to avoid. Anything that gives them a measure of that power become a payoff for the behavior in question, whether positive or negative.
That payoff will influence them to repeat and adopt as a standard practice that particular behavior. They can acquire manipulative power very early in life through the use of "cute" actions, whining, crying, tantrums, feigning illness, acting sad, sulking, and various other negative reactions. If their manipulations do not succeed, they will be led to adopt more mature types of behavior.
Expect your children to test your rules and limits to find out what the actual boundaries are. If the boundaries are firm, they will develop more trust and feelings of security, and they will wind up with a better sense of their own identity. They gain some comfort in knowing that there is someone in charge who is stronger than they are.
Expect them to ignore instructions unless your past interactions with them have taught them that they are better off when they comply with your expectations. If there is little or no follow-through of enforcement and no application of appropriate consequences, they will feel free to decide whether or not to do as you say.
Expect them to try to imitate your actions and your manner of speaking. They will adopt your attitudes about religion, politics, and many other issues of life. If you are a hunter, a gardener, or a sports enthusiast, they will follow you.
Expect them to be listening to everything you talk about if they are within hearing distance They will record, in their alert minds, any arguments and discussions of problems They will listen to conversations about relatives and neighbors, and you can expect them to report whatever they have observed and heard to friends, relatives and neighbors.
Expect them to be curious, to be active, and to explore. They will tend to get into anything and to reach for precious objects which might be broken if they succeed in getting their hands on them. They will also reach for dangerous substances.
Don't expect them to be perfect little gentlemen and ladies. After all they have a lot of years to learn to act in that fashion. Do expect them to be a challenge as they are growing and trying to find their place in the world..
Expect them to need frequent expressions of love and approval.

A Guide for Managing Children and Teaching Them Self-Control
by Dean Pearson

One of the most difficult aspects of parenting is discipline. How much is too much, or too little? Will they hate me forever? Will they forget this moment? The nervousness is understandable. No good parent enjoys hurting their children, but everyone will agree that at least some degree of discipline is necessary to raise our children to be strong, independent, and well respected.

Dr. Dean Pearson, drawing on decades of experience in professional counseling and with his own family, lays out a number of clear and simple rules when it comes to discipline. Through this book, he teaches us what sort of discipline is effective in conditioning behavior while maintaining the bonds of love in the home. Following these principles can lead to a calmer, happier, and more fulfilling family.