I am finding my ds very draining at the moment. He has always been strong willed and independant which in itself is not really a problem and not entirely a bad thing but lately he is really pushing the boundaries.
It's nothing major really. All totally normal I am sure but I am getting tired of his attitude and the way he speaks to adults- except his teachers who he openly admits he's not cheeky to them because he wants them to like him 
. He is stroppy and argumentative. He will argue that black is white and has always had a tendancy to be this way.
I ask him to do something simple such as put his shoes on and he whinges and moans or flat out refuses. When asked repeatedly he will eventually comply with our wishes but only with much complaining and attitude. I am sure it's all perfectly normal but I am really after coping mechanisms. i am 22 weeks pg with dc2 and feel I need to nip this in the bud now.
He is insistant that he is the boss of the house. He knows best. Today when left with my sister whilst I was at work he told her 'I am the boss, you don't live in this house so you don't know how this family works. Jesus Christ Aunty xxxx I am not arguing with you' 
. We tend to try to reason with him and explain that he needs to listen to adults etc but he is just so strong willed. We rarely shout and never hit him so I am interested to know how to deal with this and how to make him learn boundaries without becoming cruel and knock his confidence.
Any tips? thank you.